Halston - A History April 19 2022

Roy Halston Frowick.  If you don’t know the Halston name, consider yourself warned.  Because once you see his work—so chic!—you’ll be scheming up ways to get your hands on a piece of it.  Although Halston died in 1990, the label is still churning out collections.  While the label’s contemporary clothing is beautiful, his vintage pieces are just as amazing—more so when you realize how revolutionary many of them were.

The Halston label was founded in the 1960s, and the designer quickly set about making a name for himself in the world of fashion.  He utilized simple, elegant silhouettes that emphasized movement, and used fabrics like jersey, suede, and cashmere to reinvent wardrobe staples such as the shirtdress and caftan.  By the time the 1970s rolled around, his clientele was synonymous with pop culture and the world of Studio 54.  In 1974, he unveiled his Tube Dress design, which was a single-cut, single-seam dress.  Look in your closet—you probably have dresses made in the same way; you can thank Halston for that.  In the early 1980s, Halston became the first designer to enter into a partnership with a major retailer (JC Penney) to allow for mass-production of his pieces; as a result, average consumers on a budget could own a piece of designer clothing.

Whenever such luxury comes across our door here at Rice and Beans Vintage, we breathe a little sigh of appreciation, and wonder how we could incorporate that Halston vintage designer piece of into our wardrobe.