Ray Aghayan

Gorgen Ray Aghayan (July 28, 1928 – October 10, 2011)[1] was an American fashion designer and costume designer for the United States film industry. He won an Emmy Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for his costume design. From the early 1960s until his death in 2011, Aghayan's partner was fashion designer Bob Mackie.

Ray Aghayan
Born
Gorgen Ray Aghayan

(1928-07-28)July 28, 1928
Tehran, Iran
DiedOctober 10, 2011(2011-10-10) (aged 83)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationCostume designer
PartnerBob Mackie
Ray Aghayan costume design for Rex Harrison in Doctor Dolittle (1967)

Early life and education

Aghayan was born in Tehran, Iran, to a wealthy Iranian-Armenian family.[2] Aghayan's mother, widowed when he was young, was a dressmaker for the Pahlavi family.[1][2] At age 13, Aghayan assisted in designing for the court of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.[1][2] His first dress design was for Fawzia Fuad of Egypt, the first wife of the last Shah of Iran.[2] During the 1940s, Aghayan came to California as a young man.

Biography

In the 1950s, Aghayan started working in television costuming in Los Angeles.[2] In 1963–64, Aghayan designed dresses and costumes for Judy Garland for her musical variety show on CBS.[1] He won an Emmy Award in 1967 with his partner Bob Mackie for his work in Alice Through the Looking Glass (1966 film). Aghayan was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design three times for his work in Gaily, Gaily in 1970, Lady Sings the Blues in 1973 and Funny Lady in 1976. He was also responsible for designing the costumes for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles.[3]

Aghayan died on October 10, 2011, at his home in Los Angeles, California of a myocardial infarction.[4]

Personal life

His mother joined Aghayan in California 30 years after his immigration, and just before the Iranian Revolution. Aghayan later became the lifetime partner of costume designer Bob Mackie for nearly 50 years. Early in Bob Mackie's career in the 1960s, he was Aghayan's assistant.[1][2]

References
  1. Vitello, Paul (2011-10-15). "Ray Aghayan, Costume Designer, Dies at 83". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
  2. Horwell, Veronica (2011-10-16). "Ray Aghayan obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-07-06. Aghayan came from an Armenian family in Tehran
  3. Dennis McLellan (October 14, 2011). "Ray Aghayan dies at 83; award-winning costume designer". Los Angeles Times.
  4. Lentz, III, Harris M. (2014-01-10). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2011. McFarland. ISBN 9780786491346.


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