Halston – American Designers

Halston – American Designers

Halston, born Roy Halston Frowick, was one of the icons of the fashion industry in the 1970s. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he graduated from high school in Indiana, and entered the Art Institute of Chicago.

He began his career (like some other designers who rose to fame) as a milliner, designing and making women’s hats. In 1958 Halston went to New York City and worked to design hats for Lilly Dache. Afterwards, he worked for the Bergdorf Goodman department store, designing clothing in addition to millinery. In fact, it was Halston who designed the famous pillbox hat that Jacqueline Kennedy wore to her husband’s inauguration as President in 1961, among many of the other unique styles that he created.

In 1968 he opened his own salon, and quickly became one of the most well-known and applauded fashion designers of the day. Dubbed as “the premier fashion designer of all America” by Newsweek, Halston’s fashion became the standard for celebrities and the elite of society. Such personalities as Lauren Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, Anjelica Huston, Bianca Jagger, and Babe Paley patronized his work, and helped to popularize him even further. Also because of their patronage, Halston’s fashion grew to be associated with the era’s café society (or jet set).

His designs were distinguished by their simplicity and elegance. Some of the many influences that he had upon the world of fashion include the introduction of ultrasuede, a synthetic fabric with all the attractions of suede but with greater resistance to the elements. He was also instrumental in the popularization of halter dresses, caftans, spiral skirts, cashmere twinsets, shirtwaists, and knee-length pants. Eventually, he also added perfumes and luggage to his fashion line.

But Halston’s influence did not affect only the fashion industry. He was one of the first designers to go into a licensing agreement. Through his agreement with JC Penney, his designs became more widely accessible to women from varying income levels. This also helped Halston, his perfume, to be accessible and eventually go on to become the second biggest selling perfume of all time.

But his life ended in tragedy when he died of cancer of the lungs as a complication of AIDS. Towards the end, increasing drug abuse (and the accompanying inability to meet deadlines) resulted in him being fired from his own company. Still, he is recognized as one of history’s fashion superstars, and one of the great designers of all time.

Find More Halter Dress Articles