Ray Aghayan
Ray Aghayan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gorgen Ray Aghayan Template:Birth date |
| Died | October 10, 2011 (aged 83) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Costume designer |
| Partner | Bob Mackie |
Gorgen Ray Aghayan (July 28, 1928 – October 10, 2011) was a distinguished American costume and fashion designer who made significant contributions to the film industry in the United States. His achievements include winning an Emmy Award and securing three nominations for the Academy Awards in the category of costume design. From the early 1960s until his passing, he shared a lifelong partnership with fellow designer Bob Mackie.
Early life and education
Aghayan was born in Tehran, Iran, into an affluent Iranian-Armenian household. His mother worked as a dressmaker for the Pahlavi royal family. By the age of 13, he was already involved in fashion design for the Shah's court, crafting his inaugural dress for Fawzia Fuad of Egypt, the Shah’s first spouse. During the 1940s, he emigrated to California.
Biography
His career in television costume design began in Los Angeles during the 1950s. Between 1963 and 1964, he was responsible for costume creation on Judy Garland’s CBS musical variety program. Alongside Bob Mackie, he received an Emmy Award in 1967 for work on Alice Through the Looking Glass (1966 film).
In 1969, Aghayan acted as costume consultant for the 41st Academy Awards, overseeing segments that showcased nominated costume designs. He earned three Oscar nominations for Best Costume Design with the films Gaily, Gaily (1970), Lady Sings the Blues (1973), and Funny Lady (1976).
Among his notable projects were designing costumes for both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles. In 1985, he produced the television film Consenting Adult, which explored LGBTQ subject matter.
Aghayan died from a heart attack on October 10, 2011, at his residence in Los Angeles.
Personal life
Approximately three decades after relocating to California, Aghayan’s mother joined him there shortly before the onset of the Iranian Revolution.
He maintained a nearly five-decade-long personal and professional partnership with costume designer Bob Mackie, who initially worked as his assistant during Mackie’s early career in the 1960s.
External links
- Video: from August 26, 1998
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- American fashion designers
- Primetime Emmy Award winners
- 1928 births
- 2011 deaths
- American businesspeople in fashion
- LGBTQ fashion designers
- Iranian fashion designers
- Iranian LGBTQ artists
- American LGBTQ people of Asian descent
- Iranian emigrants to the United States
- American people of Armenian descent
- Businesspeople from Tehran
- Iranian people of Armenian descent
- American costume designers
- Iranian costume designers
- LGBTQ people from California