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Before Jaclyn Smith brought fashion to the style starved aisles of K-Mart, before Isaac Mizrahi helped modification Target to Target (pronounced with a French Accent), the king of disco age fashion, Roy Halston, debuted a line at the venerable department store JCPenney.
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The Halston III line for JCPenney debuted in stores in 1983, as well as with it the very first genuinely masstige fashion line, a mass market fashion line developed/licensed by a high-end designer or brand, was born.
Halston III for JCPenney industrial circa 1983/1984
The line was a huge hit, which promptly “downgraded” the Halston brand in the eyes of elite new York stores like Bergdorf Goodman, who, along with others higher end department stores, stopped selling the higher priced Halston lines. The Halston brand became a home name, however lost its prestige (this was before Web stores like Bluefly as well as even outlet malls, both of which made designer brands a lot more accessible to the masses).
Ahead of his time
Unfortunately for Halston, he was 30 years as well early. In a fashionable twist of irony, nearly 30 years to the date that Halston launched his line for JCPenney, Isaac Mizrahi launched his eponymous line with Target. Interestingly, Mizrahi’s line with Target was far a lot more successful that the designer’s higher priced lines at stores like Barneys.
A generation later, the autumn out from the Halston III at JcPenney line continues to have a unfavorable effect on licensing decisions by designers. At a new York Times Talk in 2009, uber designer Marc Jacobs discussed the effect that Halston’s line at JC Penney has had on his licensing decisions:
“When I got into this business, licensing was a huge thing. I don’t believe that it’s about that anymore. One doesn’t have to indication themselves up for this way of life their mugs in their kitchen area will reflect. I keep in mind when Halston did that thing with JCPenney, it was extremely poor for his couture business.” (source: Joelle Lifestyle)
While Jacobs may continue to withstand the desire to produce a masstige line, other designers, most notably Karl Lagerfeld, have embraced the idea (and the money that comes with it). For up as well as coming designers like Proenza Schouler as well as Zac Posen, both of whom had a collection with Target, a masstige line is a method to broaden brand awareness, while likewise creating an entry point for your higher priced brands.
Halston
Roy Halston died in 1990, however the Halston brand carried on. In 2007, Harvey Weinstein’s business along with Hilco consumer funding LLC purchased the brand. It struggled for a few years under that ownership team.
In 2010, Sarah Jessica Parker got included in a style role. SJP didn’t last long, nevertheless — she walked away less than two years after taking the job. Weinstein had likewise severed ties at that point. Parker didn’t address why she left publicly up until years later. as well as then, she only implied that the brand was so damaged she couldn’t repair it.
What the Halston line looks like in 2021.
You can still get Halston pieces today. The line-up in 2021 still has that traditional feel to it. believe wide-legged pants, jumpsuits, drape details, crepe, as well as silk.
You can likewise get the juicy — as well as fictionalized — scoop on Roy Halston’s wild way of life in a Netflix series titled Halston.
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