Halston

Halston (born April 23, 1932, Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.—died March 26, 1990, San Francisco, California) was an American designer known for his elegant, streamlined fashions. He was widely considered the first superstar designer in the United States, and his clothing defined 1970s American fashion.

Education and early career

Halston studied at Indiana University and the Art Institute of Chicago and operated a store for headwear in Chicago before joining milliner Lilly Daché in New York City. In 1959 he became a milliner for department store Bergdorf Goodman, and two years later he gained attention for the pillbox hat that U.S. first lady Jacqueline Kennedy wore to her husband’s presidential inauguration.

Couture house

By 1966 Halston had expanded his line into clothes, and in 1968 he began his own couture house that catered to celebrities. Halston won Coty American Fashion Critics’ “Winnie” awards in 1971 and 1972 for having the most influence on fashion. The prestigious prize was bestowed by Coty, a cosmetics company, between 1942 and 1984 to recognize American designers. Halston’s famous clientele included Liza Minnelli and Elizabeth Taylor, and his clothing became associated with discotheques, especially Studio 54, where the designer was a frequent guest.

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Later career

In 1973 Halston sold his business to the Norton Simon conglomerate for $16 million but continued as principal designer. In 1982 he signed a contract to design an affordable clothing line for the mass retailer JCPenney. Although such deals subsequently became common in the fashion industry, it was unprecedented at the time and severely damaged his career. In 1984 he was fired from his namesake business, and, beginning that year, he tried unsuccessfully to buy back the company.

Designs

Halston’s simple yet chic designs included Ultrasuede shirtwaist dresses, tailored suits, traditional chiffon and crepe evening dresses, cashmere sweater sets, tunics, slinky halter dresses, and knitted cape-stoles. His later creations were limited to costumes for Martha Graham’s dance company.

Later life and legacy

In 1990 Halston moved to San Francisco, and later that year he died from AIDS-related complications. A documentary and a Netflix miniseries starring Ewan McGregor, both titled Halston, were released in 2019 and 2021, respectively.