Famous for her love story with Roberto Carlos, Maria Stella Splendore shows at SPFW

Famous for her love story with Roberto Carlos, Maria Stella Splendore shows at SPFW


Considered the first Brazilian supermodel, she showed her beauty on the catwalk at the age of 76

A queen never loses her bearings. Proof of this was the appearance of Maria Stella Splendore on the catwalk of the Normando brand at the São Paulo Fashion Week, at the Ibirapuera Biennial.

At 76 she returned to modeling after decades of abstinence. It resurfaced at the invitation of Marco Normando and Emídio Contente, the creative minds at the head of the Amazon-origin brand.

Maria Stella wore a beautiful blue party dress. Her gray hair was tied back. The slim and youthful silhouette remains unchanged (1.70 m tall and less than 50 kg), as does the beauty of the face, highlighted by the clear eyes.

Her presence among so many young models – probably unaware of her past as a top model in the 1960s – demonstrates the importance of diversity of bodies and ages in a fashion show.

Originally from the upper class of São Paulo, Maria Stella was discovered at the age of 16 by the famous designer Dener, who invited her to become a model. Work has become passion. They married on live TV and had two children.

Another famous man fell in love with her: Roberto Carlos. The model herself recounts the confidential relationship in her autobiography ‘Sri Splendore’, published in 2008.

At the time, in an interview with ‘Folha’, the model was discreet in her comments. “I was with both of them at the same time. My marriage to Dener wasn’t working anymore. We never had the intimacy I expected. Our house was invaded by the press and friends who drank whiskey until 9 in the morning. And then I met Roberto,” he told the newspaper.

The author of the report, Ivan Finotti, asked Maria Stella whether the song ‘Namoradinha de um Amigo Meu’, released by Jovem’s idol Guarda in 1966, was really inspired by their relationship.

“I’m madly in love / My friend’s girlfriend / I know I’m wrong / But I don’t even know how it happened,” part of the lyrics goes. “I don’t want to comment on this song,” the model responded. “I always knew it was for me. Did he never say that? So, I don’t know.




In the 1980s, Splendor renounced public life when he became Hare Krishna. Since then he has spent much of his time on a farm in the hinterland of São Paulo, in contact with nature. Participation in the Normando parade was a rare public appearance.



Some moments of Maria Stella Splendore, a successful model discovered in the 1960s

Source: Terra

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