Designer and recipient of the Career Achievement in Television Award Ray Aghayan (L) and designer Bob Mackie attend the 10th annual Costume Designers guild Awards in Beverly Hills, California
Designer and recipient of the Career Achievement in Television Award Ray Aghayan (L) and designer Bob Mackie attend the 10th annual Costume Designers guild Awards in Beverly Hills, California February 19, 2008. Reuters

Ray Aghayan, who won the first Emmy awarded for costume design and was a three-time Oscar nominee, died Tuesday at age 83.

Aghayan, who dressed stars like Judy Garland, Cher, Diana Ross, Lucille Ball, The Jackson Five and Barbra Streisand, was nominated for three Oscars for his costuming work, beginning with the 1969 Norman Jewison comedy Gaily, Gaily.

He also received Oscar nominations for the Billie Holiday biography Lady Sings the Blues which starred Ross, and Funny Lady, Sreisand's Funny Girl sequel.

Aghayan's last two Oscar nominations, along with his first Emmy win -- for the 1967 TV movie Alice Through the Looking Glass -- were shared with his longtime professional partner, legendary Bob Mackie.

Aghayan began his career as Mackie's assistant.

The Archive of American Television Web site hosts several video interviews with Aghayan, in which he talks about designing costumes for the 1984 Summer Olympics and Oscar telecasts, and about his partnership with Mackie.