Bazar Best Dressed  # 24 : Princess Noor Pahlavi

Noor Pahlavi is not your average princess. Daughter of Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran, and granddaughter of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, she is the first generation of the distinguished family to have been born outside of Iran. Residing in New York, and working as the director of fundraising and investor relations at a commercial real estate firm, Noor admits “It can be hard to please those Iranians who still look to me as a princess while I’m living in America. What appeals to Iranians doesn’t necessarily appeal to Americans and vice versa. All I can do is cherish the Iranian values I have, take them with me and appreciate the freedom I have in America to be all the things I want to be.”

Describing her personal style as “elegant with a bit of downtown flair,” Noor often dresses depending on her mood and almost always wears “the diamond studs my father gave to my mother when they first got married” as it makes her feel “like they’re always with me.” Having a nation know her every sartorial move is not without its challenges. She “can never really take major fashion risks without a nation discussing the pros and cons of it. Especially now with the internet, what we wear to events will be seen in Iran before morning.” So, Noor opts for “relatively conservative, elegant and simple” clothing, but says New York has broadened her view. “I’m surrounded by fashion risk-takers and it’s allowed me to explore what I like and have more fun with it. It’s a way of embracing my own identity outside of being a part of a political family. There’s very little judgement of what people wear in New York because you’ve seen it all.”

Noor feels strongly about cruelty-free fashion. “I’d love to live in a world of animal-friendly fashion, where more designers made the effort to find alternatives to the fur, leather and exotic skin trade.” She admires Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood for their dedication to the cause and tries to make informed decisions in her fashion choices – “finding out where it was made, under what conditions and out of what material.” Noor’s grandmother and mother influence her look. “My grandmother, Empress Farah Pahlavi, has long been an international style icon. She can mix couture with bespoke clothing woven with traditional Persian icons. I look at photos of her on state visits with my late grandfather and she just blows me away with her style and elegance. She’s introduced me to some of the major designers today, many of whom are her friends, but she also inspired me to support up-and-coming designers.” Her mother, Yasmine, is also a source of inspiration. “She has amazing taste and prefers more modern, edgier looks. Her unique style has encouraged me to experiment more in my fashion choices.”

Princess Noor Pahlavi wears Marchesa dress, and Jimmy Choo jacket, both her own. Photography: Tara sharma. Styling: Samah Elmeri. Words: Maddison Glendinning. Hair & make-up: Teresa & Elena of KC-Makeup by Karuna Chani NYC