Sculptural and imbued with space-age splendour, Swedish couturier ArdAzAei certainly knows how to deliver on the red carpet front
Selecting and styling a perfect red carpet look is no simple feat. Amidst a sea of crystal-encrusted thongs and superfluous statement dressing, innovative simplicity can really shine through. Luckily, Swedish-Iranian label ArdAzAei rose to the occasion for this year’s 77th Emmy Awards Ceremony, providing Andor star Genevieve O’Reilly with the second look from their 'The Folded Sea' collection, which was unveiled at Haute Couture Week last July.
The Irish-Australian actress cut a sophisticated figure in the glamorous, geometrical and GOTS-certified (organic and certified by Ecocert Greenlife) silhouette. Rendered with ArdAzAei’s characteristic mathematical precision, the silk georgette gown features conical skirting, a flattering sweetheart neckline and raw ruffles that extend downwards from an elongated silk gazar corset.
This outing heralds a winning collaboration between the actress and the Paris-based design house – whose creations sit comfortably within George Lucas' iconic fictitious world – having previously borrowed sartorial inspiration from futurism, science fiction and the properties of physics.
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
The actress co-starred in Andor, appearing alongside Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård in the two season strong Star Wars prequel series which was nominated for 14 Emmys on television’s most anticipated night. It nabbed five wins including the coveted Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series Award for Dan Gilroy’s screenplay. Embodying the role of subversive intergalactical senator Mon Mothma, O’Reilly lent life to his words with her domineering presence and rousing speeches as the series’ most convincing covert rebel leader. It was this poise and strength that ArdAzAei’s Creative Director, Bahareh Ardakani felt to be emblematic of her label.
"Genevieve O’Reilly is a true pioneer of forward-looking cinema," she shares, "So when Grace Richmond reached out to style her in ArdAzAei couture, I thought it was the perfect match. Dressing her in a certified organic creation is our way of showing that fashion, too, can imagine and shape a better future."
The designer, known for her mastery in bridging her Persian heritage with Scandinavian modernity whilst adapting a French artisanal approach, drew from her gemological and ecological tenets to craft this couture look. “Genevieve is undeniably an ArdAzAei woman,” she asserts, “And this dress echoes the beauty of star stones scattered across the galaxy. Just as these star stones capture light in the vastness of space, Genevieve shines as a guiding star herself, radiating strength, elegance, and inspiration.”