Tucked inside a boutique with floor-to-ceiling windows on Second Street, designer Azadeh Riaz opened House of Azadeh in February, offering handcrafted couture and curated ready-to-wear collections with personalized wardrobe services.
Scott Hunter, Los Altos Village Association executive director, said the opening “shows a desire for small businesses to locate in downtown Los Altos, adding to the vibe and keeping our vacancy rate much lower than our neighboring cities.”
Riaz sees an opportunity to bring luxury fashion closer to her clients. “They think nobody dresses up in the South Bay,” she said, but her clients regularly attend corporate events, fund-raisers and Broadway shows, proving local women do seek glamour when the occasion calls for it.
With more than 35 years of fashion industry experience, Riaz designed couture garments for members of the Saudi royal family earlier in her career and later served as the first head designer and vice president of manufacturing for Bebe. She launched House of Azadeh in 1995 to focus on personalized fashion services, including custom design and styling.
Her clientele spans the Bay Area and beyond, including high-profile figures such as Gayle King and Vanessa Williams, though Riaz said her service is designed “for everybody.” According to her, success extends beyond fame or wealth: “You are respected in your community; this is how the success is described. It’s not about the size of your bank account or how famous you are.”
The boutique operates like a private fashion studio. During appointments, Riaz sketches designs while discussing clients’ lifestyles, preferences and upcoming events.
“I work with their life, interview them about what they like, and what they want to wear,” she said.
Garments are then created through multiple fittings before the final fabric is cut. “It’s not about mass production,” Riaz said, but about making one-of-a-kind pieces.
After running multiple boutiques, including one in Los Gatos, and closing them all during the pandemic, Riaz reopened last year in San Francisco with plans for Half Moon Bay and Pebble Beach. She chose Los Altos to create “this triangle so I can travel to each location comfortably,” she said, describing the corner storefront as a “fishbowl” that encourages window shopping.
“We’re a miniature department store,” Riaz said, where busy clients can browse couture gowns, European designer collections, jewelry and handbags in a space designed for efficiency and personal attention. “My focus is how I can take care of that woman without her going to 10 different locations.”
“Everybody wants service,” Riaz added, which she considers the defining feature of her business. “If you buy one piece here, even if it’s a T-shirt, I follow up with you. I make sure that you’re happy, that you come back to me again.”
The boutique may expand offerings, including men’s wear, but Riaz remains focused on maintaining her renowned white-glove service.
“Success is about working hard and not letting anything fall in the cracks,” she said. “At the end of your day, you delivered and you took care of your client.”
