Halston: Inventing American Fashion

INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards -- 2014 GOLD Winner for Popular Culture

Written by Halstons niece and confidante, this is the first monograph to chronicle the designers life and his glamorous, minimalist aesthetic that personified American fashion in the electric 1970s. After rising in the fashion world from his beginnings as a milliner for Bergdorf Goodman, Roy Halston Frowick (19321990) launched his eponymous womenswear label in 1968, buoyed by his connections with socialites and celebrities. As the creator of Jackie Kennedys signature pillbox hat and as Liza Minnellis fashion guru throughout the 1970s and 80s, Halston was synonymous both with American styles modern, glamorous look and an A-list clientele. The Halston look continues to be revered today as a marker of American fashion at its peak. This book chronicles the ultrachic Halstons journey from his homespun roots to the acme of urban fame, illustrated through the lens of the authors personal archives and early sketches, as well as unseen Joe Eula and Stephen Sprouse drawings. His story unfolds through the authors interviews with Jane Holzer, Marisa Berenson, Joel Schumacher, and Jeffrey Bilhuber, among others, all of whose personal narratives are essential to Halstons enduring legacy. Spotlighting his most important design achievements and his collaborations with luminaries such as Martha Graham, Elsa Peretti, and Hiro, this book presents to readers the untold story of Halston and solidifies hisplace as a key designer in American fashion.