1984 Ray Aghayan for Barbra Streisand Custom Klimt Beaded Gold Lame Dress

Presenting a gold beaded Ray Aghayan dress custom-made for Barbra Streisand. This fabulous dress perfectly culminates the fashion, art, and pop culture worlds. Ray Aghayan was an American costume designer and life partner to Bob Mackie, who started his career as Aghayan's assistant. Though his partner eventually eclipsed his fame, Aghayan was once the go-to costume designer for A-listers, including Judy Garland, Cher, Diana Ross, and many more. In 1984, Barbra Streisand commissioned him to create a gown based on Gustav Klimt's 1907 painting 'Painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (The Woman in Gold). Tasked with bringing one of the world's most famous paintings to life, Agahayan says, "It's not just a dress - it's a piece of art." This empire-style gown is layered gold lamé and embroidered with five shades of gold beads and pale transparent sequins in peach, lavender, and green. It also features faceted stones for an overall Egyptian-inspired pattern. The dress features a square neckline, exposed shoulders, and cap sleeves. The gown is covered in thousands of hand-sewn beads and sequins, fashioned to create a pattern similar to the dress in Klimt's painting. The bodice and sleeves feature a beaded box pattern, while a triangle motif covers the rest of the dress. The 'Eye of Providence' symbol, representing God watching over humanity, is scattered throughout the design, just as it appears in the painting. The body of the dress is made up of four panels with a gold lame layer underneath. The back panel is kept intentionally longer than the others to create a sweeping train. Streisand wore this gown to accept the Scopus Laureate Award on December 3, 1984. It does not get much better than this glamourous gilded Klimt-inspired dress custom-made for Babs and created by an unsung icon of American design, Ray Aghayan. A documented and historic masterpiece, this gown represents an anthology of fashion and is the perfect piece for any museum, red carpet, or collection.