Halston: An American Original
By: Boyd Davis

Halston died in 1990, but his fashion legacy has lived on through the House of Halston, which is still strong financially and still making fashion waves.

Born Roy Halston Frowick in Des Moines, Iowa in 1932, Halston chose his middle as his label when he burst into the fashion scene.

He started as a milliner (designing hats for his mother and sister) and as a window dresser in Chicago during the 1950s.

He attended the Chicago Art Institute and his big break came when the Chicago Daily News featured one of his fashionable hats. In fact, his first major shop was a millinery in Chicago's Michigan Avenue.

He moved to New York in 1959, working for Lilly Daché (a French milliner) and then moved to Bergdorf Goodman, where he designed the famous pill box hat for Jacqueline Kennedy. (She would wear this during JFK's inaguration). With the Kennedy's popularity, Halston became a household name.

The 1960's saw Halston climb to popularity. But it was during the 1970s that his career sky-rocketed. He became the high priest of New York fashion, launching a fragrance line and a woman's ready-to-wear line.

The Ultrasude© shirt dress became his trademark. He was also the toast of New York society and the life of the party at New York's Studio 54.

Since his death in 1990, the House of Halston has hired Randolph Duke, Kevan Hall, Craig Natiello and Bradley Bayou as Creative Directors.

Under Randolph Duke, the House of Halston became famous for eveningwear.

And with Craig Natiello, the Ultrasude shirtdress has been revived and bringing back cutting edge fashion at the House of Halston.

With Bradley Bayou, Halston is emerging as a true American couture house.

Spring 2004 (Photo by Javier Mateo)

Fall 2004 (Photo by Javier Mateo)

Address:
HALSTON INTERNATIONAL
1350 Sixth Avenue Suite 2025
New York, NY 10019
In-house Press Contact:
Adnan Abbasi
Tel: (212) 765-2802

Contact:
Press Contact for:
HALSTON
FACTORY COMMUNICATIONS
Contact: Mark Silver
Tel: (212) 941-7057

News About Halston:

Bradley Bayou, Fall 2004