At Dinner In London With Valentino Wearing Azeeza
Barbra Streisand wore this Azeeza silk embroidered shift dress while having dinner with Valentino in London, on July 6, 2019. The next day, Barbra would take the stage at British Summertime Hyde Park music festival, performing for upwards of 65,000 people.
This V-Neck, 100% silk dress is called “The Erin “, and comes from Azeeza’s SS17 collection. It features short sleeves, a mini length hemline, a trapeze silhouette and two patch pockets with a flap. Jet black hand beaded embellishments edge the neckline, sleeves and pocket flaps. Barbra notably wore another Azeeza dress for the first act of her 2019 concerts in London, NYC and Chicago. Regarding her design style, Azeeza states “I would say my style is minimalist but with a sense of movement. Nothing we do is overly sexy – I’m not about the super fitted look. Everything is subtle and alluring – so while we may add a low back, or a slit, it has an element of sexiness that is never overdone.” Khan also recalled that “She (Barbra) had been shopping my ready-to-wear pieces at Barney’s, and through that, we connected. In May, we started this process. I don’t think that it started because she was commissioning a tour wardrobe. It was more than that. She liked my pieces and wanted to continue that dialog.”
In the 1920’s notable designers like Coco Chanel began to design anti-corset, loose fitting flapper style dresses with a straight boxy waist. A combination of these elements gave rise to the shift dress. This style marked a major change from pre 20’s dresses which kept women extremely restricted, and gets it’s name from the actual “shift” in thought around womenswear. During this era, the shift dress became a symbol of independence for women, and for the first time prioritized their comfort over their looks. Balenciaga and Givenchy are both considered innovators of the shift dress as we know it today. This iconic style made a major comeback in the 60’s and continues to be a fashion staple.
