The pair of Golden Globe-nominated actors wore gowns by Houston-based fashion designers during Tuesday night’s awards show. “Severance” star Britt Lower walked the red carpet in a strapless Bach Mai; Sepideh Moafi from “Blackbird” posed in sequins by Amir Taghi outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Moafi’s black sequined dress with a rosette of red poppies carried a special meaning. The floral detail paid “tribute to the people of Iran who risked their lives during this revolution.” Haus of Milad printed the petals with the names of the protesters who were killed in Persian calligraphy. It’s a ruby shade to honor those who died in the past 44 years under the Islamic Republic, according to Fashionista.
Taghi is a Houston native who debuted his eponymous clothing line at the age of 18 at his parents’ Tanglewood home. He studied at Central Saint Martins College in London and Parsons School of Design in New York before working with Oscar de la Renta, Monse, Adam Lippes and Proenza Schouler.
Moafi stars as FBI agent Lauren McCauley in the Apple+ miniseries “Blackbird,” which was nominated for Best Limited or Anthology Series or Television Movie at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards.
Lower’s stylist, Jacqueline Zenere, previously selected Mai’s outfit for the Emmys. For the Golden Globes, Zenere pulled her client’s red carpet ensemble from the Houston-born-and-raised designer’s latest look book.
“We just released our latest pre-fall collection. Britta’s dress ended up being the final look and her stylist just had to have it,” says Mai. – She knew it was him.
His references were a play on 1950s fashion and the sculpted silhouettes of Cristobal Balenciaga. The latter became Maia’s signature.
“The dress was rich, raspberry pink and ink, black velvet absorbing all the light,” he says. “Classic glamor with a touch of drama.”
Mai, the son of Vietnamese immigrants, graduated from St. John’s in 2007. He also studied at Parsons before earning his master’s degree at the Institut Français de la Mode in Paris. After joining the design teams of Prabal Gurung and Maison Margiela under the leadership of John Galliano, Mai launched his eponymous collection in 2021.
His ready-to-wear collections have been picked up by Neiman Marcus department stores in Houston, Dallas and Beverly Hills, Ca. at the end of last year. Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan also carries its line.
“This is my first placement at a major awards show. And come to think of it, it’s the Golden Globes,” says Mai. – It’s still kind of sinking.