Bijan Pakzad was born on the 4th April 1940, in Tehran, Iran, though some sources put his birth year as 1944, and was an Iranian-American fashion designer of high-end menswear and fragrances. Over the course of his career, he dressed a wide range of celebrities, as well as other designers and even heads of state; Sir Anthony Hopkins, Tom Cruise, Barack Obama, George Bush, Oscar de la Renta, and Tom Ford were among his many clients. Bijan passed away in 2011.
Have you ever wondered how rich Bijan Pakzad was at the time of his death? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Pakzad’s net worth was as high as $50 million, earned through his successful career in fashion design and business.
Bijan Pakzad Net Worth $50 Million
Bijan Pakzad was born into a wealthy Iranian family – his father was an industrialist, and therefore able to send Bijan to the best schools. Bijan studied design in Switzerland and Italy, spending seven years in Florence where he designed menswear. After he returned to Iran, he started his career in the Pink Panther Boutique in Tehran, then immigrated to the United States in 1973, settling in Los Angeles. He opened his first boutique, House of Bijan, on Rodeo Drive in 1976, and immediately distinguished himself from the competition by making his boutique a by appointment showroom. Those who wanted in, even to simply browse, had to make reservations in advance. While this might have seemed counterproductive to some, Bijan was convinced that such an approach would bring him the kind of clientele that he wanted for his business.
The House of Bijan has had the reputation as the most expensive boutique in the world, and such status and the quality of service provided did attract wealthy people to Bijan. A clever businessman, he built a multi-billion dollar fashion empire, as his brand became the synonym for luxury. Additionally, his clients could count on securing unique pieces of clothing for themselves, as there are only one or two of those items in the world. Bijan once stated that he dressed thirty six world leaders, though he only ever named five US presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama.
Apart from menswear, Bijan also creates fragrances for both men and women, and this section of his business empire – the Bijan Perfume and Fashion Business – apparently brought in over $3.2 billion in 2001. He is also known for posing for his own advertising material, appearing on billboards with Michael Jordan, and models Bo Derek and Tracy Hayakawa. Never one to shy away from pushing boundaries, he created adverts in which he was slapped, posed provocatively with clergy, or with a rotund, nude model. Despite these supposed controversies, he received numerous awards for his achievements in fashion, including five FiFi Awards.
As for his private life, Bijan was married twice. He met his first wife, Sigi Pakzad, in Europe in the 1960s, and from this marriage he had one daughter. His second wife was Irish-Japanese model and interior designer, Tracy Hayakawa, who appeared in one of his ads. In 2011, ten days after his 71st birthday, Bijan suffered a stroke, from which he died two days later. He is survived by his three children, a daughter from his first marriage, and son and daughter from his second.
