Fashion legend Max Azria paid $14.4 million for a historic Paul R. Williams-designed home in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles in 2005, just before he passed away in 2019. The creator of BCBG Max Azria and his wife Lubov then completely renovated the home over the course of the following few years, spending millions of dollars, before putting it back up for sale with a nearly $70 million price increase.
Records indicate that since it went up for sale nine years ago for an astounding $85 million, the estate has fluctuated in value, going up to $88 million at one point and down to the current $55 million asking price at another. It has also been rented out for as much as $400,000 a month and used for filming on several occasions. Listing agents Rayni Williams and Branden Williams of The Beverly Hills Estates have decided to put the 60-room spread up for auction through Concierge Auctions since the house hasn’t sold yet. Bids are anticipated to begin at $38 million.
Originally commissioned by radio star Charles Correll in the late 1930s to the tune of $70,000—and subsequently occupied by Oscar-winning writer, producer and novelist Sidney Sheldon, who reportedly added 10,000 square feet to the premises—the sprawling compound is tucked away behind a lengthy gated driveway and spacious motorcourt with room for more than 20 vehicles. Multiple structures offer a total of 14 bedrooms and 25 baths spread across a whopping 30,000 square feet of recently updated living space.
Glitzy amenities include an office overlooking skyline views and a 5,500-square-foot movie theater with its own concession stand, as well as nine fireplaces, a gold-domed library, wet bar-equipped game room, gym, wine cellar, catering kitchen and staff accommodations. There’s also a pool house-turned-wellness center outfitted with a sauna, steam shower and massage area.
Highlights also include a living room with parquet floors, a fireplace, a music nook, and a wall of French doors that open to a terrace. The beautiful double-height entry hall rests beneath a skylight and showcases a sweeping bridal staircase. A huge gourmet kitchen with two islands and premium stainless appliances, a formal dining room with a silver-leaf ceiling, and an opulent main suite with a private balcony, a massive showroom-style closet, and an opulent bath are all featured.
The beautifully landscaped grounds complete the picture. They feature an infinity-edge pool with a sundeck and lush lawn on either side, a fire pit sitting area, a glass-walled tennis court with an elevated observation box, a greenhouse for producing fruit, a koi pond, and an outdoor tea room.
The Wall Street Journal, which broke the news of the impending sale, claims that Azria’s widow hasn’t been in the house in a number of years. Because she currently lives in the Venice Beach region of Los Angeles and runs an art gallery, Lubov has made the decision to sell. It really is just me. 27 is my youngest,” she said to WSJ. “I want to move on with my life now.”
