Roy Halston Frowick

At 57 years old, Roy Halston Frowick has this physical status:

Roy Halston Frowick (1932 – March 26, 1990), better known as Halston, was an American fashion designer who rose to international prominence in the 1970s. His minimalist, clean designs, which were often made of cashmere or ultrasuede, were a new phenomenon in the mid-1970s discotheques and redefined American fashion.

Halston is best known for bringing a more relaxed urban life to American women.

Halston began designing and making women's hats in the early 1950s while attending the Art Institute of Chicago.

He attracted a large clientele and opened a store on Chicago's Magnificent Mile in 1957.

He later became the head milliner for Bergdorf Goodman, a high-end New York department store.

His fame increased when he designed for Jacqueline Kennedy, the First Lady of the United States.

He made the switch to women's clothing in the late 1960s, opening a shop on Madison Avenue in New York and starting a ready-to-wear line.

He became well-known, with a celebrity clientele.

Halston's fashion house was taken over in the 1980s by financial reasons.

He died of HIV/AIDS in 1990 at the age of 57 years old.

Early life and education

Roy Halston Frowick was born in Des Moines, Iowa, the second son of accountant James Edward Frowick, who was of Norwegian descent, and his stay-at-home wife Hallie Mae (née Holmes). Halston took an early interest in sewing from his grandmother, and he began making hats and altering clothes for his mother and sister. He grew up in Des Moines and moved to Evansville, Indiana, at the age of 14. In 1950, he graduated from Benjamin Bosse High School. He attended Indiana University for a short time.

Personal life

Victor Hugo, a Venezuelan-born artist, was Halston's on-again off-again lover. Hugo and I met while Hugo was working as a make-up artist in 1972. Hugo and his partner started a life together, and Hugo lived in Halston's house on and off. Hugo was hired quickly as Halston's window dresser. They had an on-and-off relationship for a little over ten years.

Halston was reported to have had an affair with fashion designer Luis Estevez, according to The New York Times.

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Career

Halston began living in Chicago in 1952, where he enrolled in a night class at the Art Institute of Chicago and worked as a window dresser. In 1953, he began selling hats. Fran Allison, a radio actress and comedian, was his first customer. Kim Novak, Gloria Swanson, Deborah Kerr, and Hedda Hopper also purchased Halston's hats.

Halston's first big break came after the Chicago Daily News published a short story about his hats. On North Michigan Avenue, he opened the Boulevard Salon, his first store. He began using his middle name to trade under at this time. He had been referred to as Halston throughout his childhood to distinguish himself from his uncle Roy. Halston came from New York City in late 1957, first for milliner Lilly Daché. He had been named co-designer at Daché for a year, became acquainted with many fashion journalists and publishers, and moved from Daché's studio to become head milliner for Bergdorf Goodman's customer milliner salon.

Halston rose to international prominence after he created the pillbox hat wore by Jacqueline Kennedy to her husband's presidential inauguration in 1961, and Newsweek dubbed him "America's top fashion designer." Halston went back to making clothes, thanks to Estelle Marsh, a millionaire from Amarillo, Texas, when hats fell out of style. During this critical period of growth, Marsh was the only financial backer. In 1968, he opened his first boutique on Madison Avenue. The collection included a dark jade velvet wedding gown for advertising executive Mary Wells Lawrence. Lawrence was married to Braniff International Airways' CEO, Harding Lawrence. She would play a key role in the transfer of Halston to Braniff in 1976. Braniff's hostess, pilot, ticket agent, and ground personnel uniforms were all designed by her.

Halston Limited, Halston Limited, was the first ready-to-wear line launched in 1969. Halston's interior was often simple, minimalist, fashionable, luxurious, and comfortable all at the same time. Halston like to use soft, luxurious fabric such as silk and chiffon. Later this week, he told Vogue that he got rid of "[all of the extra information that didn't work," bows that didn't tie, buttons that didn't click, zippers that didn't zip, and wrap dresses that didn't wrap. "I've always hated things that don't work." Halston modified the fitted silhouette and displayed the female body shape by allowing the fabric to flow naturally and create its own shape. "Pants give women the freedom to move about in a way they've never had before," Halston said. They don't have to be concerned about getting into low furniture or low sportscars. Pants will be with us for many years to come—probably forever if you can make that argument in style."

Greta Garbo, Babe Paley, Anjelica Huston, Gene Tierney, Lauren Bacall, Margaux Hemingway, Elizabeth Taylor, Bianca Jagger, and Liza Minnelli were among the celebrity shoppers at Halston's boutique (both Jagger and Minnelli would be close friends). His line went from 1968 to 1973, earning $30 million. Halston sold his brand to Norton Simon, Inc. for $16 million in 1973, but the company's principal designer stayed the same. This gave him creative control with virtually no budget support. Max Factor introduced Halston's first namesake fragrance for women in 1975. The perfumery's sales had hit $85 million by 1977. Halston's line widened to include menswear, luggage, handbags, lingerie, and bedding in the 1970s. Halston was responsible for popularizing caftans, which he produced for Jacqueline Kennedy; matte jersey halter top dresses; and polyurethane in American fashion;

Many people he worked with also became well known as Halston's fame and success grew. Pat Cleveland, Anjelica Huston, Heidi Goldberg, Karen Bjornson, Beverly Johnson, Nancy Johnson, Nancy North, Chris Royer, Alva Chinn, Connie Cook, and Pat Ast were among his favorite models. This entourage of models was eventually dubbed "The Halstonettes" by fashion journalist André Leon Talley. The Halstonettes were involved in editorials and advertisements for Halston clothes and cosmetics, as well as attending several Halston-related activities. The troupe frequently traveled to Halston, attended his galas, acted as his muses, and represented ethnicity (Halston was one of the first major designers to hire models of various races to walk in his shows and appear in his advertisements).

Halston was a pioneer in uniform design. Braniff International Airways had him in 1977 to introduce a new look for their flight attendants. He designed muted brown uniforms with a distinct "H" symbol. Halston also produced interchangeable separators in shades of bone, tan, and taupe, which the airline extended to the seat covers, using brown Argentine leather. The airline's entire program was dubbed "Ultra Touch" in reference to Halston's ultrasuede designs, and it was evocative of the late 1970s. In February 1977, a lavish party, dubbed Three Nights in Acapulco, was held to debut the new Halston styles as well as the new and stylish Braniff International Airways.

The grand presentation was attended by Braniff chairman Harding Lawrence, his wife Mary Wells Lawrence, First Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, and Halston himself, as well as his Halstonettes. Halston and his entourage would arrive at designated points during the party in clothes that matched Braniff Airways' new colour schemes, which would be applied to their plane as part of Braniff Airways' new so-called Elegance Campaign. Not only with the fashion press, but also with Braniff workers, who believed they were the most convenient and comfortable uniforms they'd ever wore.

In 1976, the Pan American Games and the United States Olympic Committee asked him to create the Pan American Games and the United States Olympic Team's uniforms. He also created the uniforms for the Girl Scouts, the New York Police Department, and the Avis Rent a Car system.

Halston signed a six-year license agreement with retailer J. C. Penney worth $1 billion. Halston III, a line of affordable clothing, accessories, makeup, and perfumes ranging from $24 to $200. The step was controversial at the time because no other high-end designer had ever licensed their designs to a mid-priced chain grocery store. Although Halston was excited about the agreement and believed that it would only increase his brand, the partnership did damage his image with high-end fashion stores who felt that his name had been "cheapened." Hebbert Goodman withdrew his Halston Limited brand from their store just after the Halston III production was revealed.

Halston Limited, a Norton Simon, Inc. company, was acquired by Esmark Inc in 1983. Halston Limited, a Norton Simon, Inc. company, was acquiring Halston Limited in 1983. Halston Limited became dissatisfied with his namesake company and became angry. Halston started to lose power, and by 1984, it would have been barred from designing Halston Enterprises' designs. He tried to buy back his company through protracted talks. In 1986, Halston Enterprises was sold by Revlon. Halston was paid a salary by Revlon, but the company had no longer developed clothing. Liza Minnelli and Martha Graham, for example, continued designing for family and friends. Halston created the costumes for the Martha Graham Dance Company's Temptations of the Moon in 1986. After his deal with Revlon came to an end, he was in talks to sign a new deal with the firm but decided against it after learning that Revlon planned to continue the line without his participation. The line carried on with various designers until 1990, when Revlon stopped making clothing but continued selling Halston perfumes.

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