Saratoga News

Fashion designer Azadeh shows one of her sleek pants outfits.

Montalvo is setting for fashionable trunk show

Azadeh brings her sleek styles to West Valley

By Sarah Lombardo

Soon, the creations of a woman who once designed clothes for the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia could be available in Saratoga. Azadeh (AH-zah-day), who owns a studio in San Francisco and a showroom in Los Angeles, is looking for a home in Saratoga or Los Gatos.

"I have a lot of clients from Silicon Valley," said Azadeh, who prefers to use her first name. "About two-thirds of my clients are from Silicon Valley. I think that if they take the time to come all the way to San Francisco from Silicon Valley, it's about time I made the effort to come out to them."

But even without a local showroom of her own in hand, Iranian-born Azadeh will be bringing her fall and holiday collection to Saratoga's Villa Montalvo for a trunk show from 6 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17. At the show, customers will have the opportunity to view her latest designsand order custom-tailored clothes.

Azadeh and her company have been looking for a place, first in the Village and then also in Los Gatos, for months.

"We are really searching," she said. "We want to make sure we are wise and make a good choice. ... A lot of people don't know my name and don't know I'm out there." But they know her style. Azadeh was the creator of the slightly vampy and completely sexy suits that graced the small screen on the form of Heather Locklear on Melrose Place. Her work also surfs channels, showing up on Linda Grasso and "Downtown" Julie Brown of the E! Entertainment Network.

Azadeh started her own label in the fall of 1995, after having worked with Bebe, which then had only a handful of local stores, since 1991. During her time there, the Bebe chain grew to 60 stores nationwide.

Azadeh's signature look is sleek and fitted, a look that most women with less-than-Heather-Locklear proportions would shudder to consider.

But Azadeh said she keeps the natural differences in every woman's shape in mind. Thus, the custom-tailoring services with all her clothes.

"Anyone can look good if the clothes fit right," she said. "And size doesn't matter. ... I don't believe anybody can buy things from the rack. You always have to adjust the garment to make it fit right."

By the same token, Azadeh said her years of designing have given her a good idea of what the average woman is shaped like.

"Because I've done this for many years, I am very knowledgeable of the average measurements of the woman's body," she said. "I am very successful with fits."

Azadeh said she very rarely hears complaints from any of the retailers who carry her clothes about a bad fit.

Azadeh's fall collection includes wrap and belted crepe jackets, skirts and pants in such colors as cranberry and blueberry, ranging from $75 to $169, and suede and fox fur jackets from $135 to $165.

Her holiday collection of long, sleek halter dresses and separates ranges in price from $75 for a short halter dress to $239 for a long double-breasted double crepe jacket.

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