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May 14, 2021
Tonight Netflix is premiering its new series "Halston."
I hope they do the guy justice, and it's a real story not just sensationalism. He was sort of a sensation at the time, because he was the first designer to not only brand himself, but he really honed it to a fine art. At the same time, the guy had a lot of talent, and sometimes that can get lost in all the hoopla. During Halston's heyday, in the early 70s, he really was the king of class wear.
But he did more than that. He really expanded what all a designer can do besides designing clothes. Because of his trail-blazing, designers like Zac Posen, Issac Mizrahi and others were not afraid to go into discount stores like Target or Walmart. You could say that part of the reason The Pioneer Woman is in Walmart is because Halston blazed a trail when he designed clothes for Penny's!
 He also discovered Ultrasuede.
I can remember learning along with my mentor about how to use this fabric and how to sew with it. It was truly the ultimate fabric during the day. I had a coat that was simple lapels slightly flared from the waist and belted. It was so classic that I swear I wore it through the 80's shoulder pad rage.
Because it was so classic, it lasted for close to two decades and I only gave it up because it was wearing thin in places and couldn't hide the thin wear any more.
Halston designed many uniforms for the Olympics, even for the New York Police Department, but the latter was never approved. But his uniforms for Braniff were.
The stews all thought they were fabulous with their great line and classic style and said they were the most comfortable uniforms ever. I know how hard this is cause I did a line for a private airline company and loved it. My best compliment was when the stews all said they were stopped in major airports and asked what airline they flew cause they loved my uniforms! It's fun to do things like this cause you can really make a name for yourself.
Halston didn't think anything was beneath him, and loved bringing fashion to the "regular gal on the street". Even though his "Halstonettes" made him famous, he still understood the importance of fashion for the regular gal. I hope they show that in the series, cause it was an important part of his life. He wanted to make good fashion accessible to everyone.
  
This was probably part of the reason he went to McCall's Patterns instead of Vogue Patterns (where most of the famous designers went). He wanted his patterns to be more accessible.
Halston had his "Halstonettes" who would model his clothes and show up in places like Studio 54, which was THE HOTTEST PLACE TO BE IN NYC during the 70s and 80s. Part of what I remember most is the model in white. She became a huge fixture in his modeling, but I remember her for all the Vogue Patterns that she would continue to model through the 80s. So many of the patterns I had back then had her as the model. She represented Vogue Patterns and style and
beauty for me when I was in my waning days with my mentor and discovering that I could sew anything - the world was my oyster!
Halston's life ended tragically as he was part of the huge loss of artists from AIDS during the 80's and after. There was an excess that huge fame and money brings, and unfortunately Halston couldn't and didn't survive it.
Today, I see so many more designers who have a much more practical eye on their life and work, and hopefully will not let the fame and money confuse them. It is OK to be famous and have a lot of money, but it's also OK not to be famous all the time and not to be rich all the time. That is a very hard lesson for any artist to learn, but I see so many more practical designers today who are gifted and talented and because of their more level-headed approach will be with us for
many decades. They love their craft and they love practicing their craft. As long as they get to do that, they are happy, and sometimes they will be famous and sometimes they won't, and that's OK.
If you have Netflix, take a chance and look at this - I'm sure I'll have a review after Friday, and hopefully it will be good.
Welcome to the world of a great fitting, flattering and comfortable pant. Yes, it's possible and no it doesn't take a Ph.D. from FIT!!!! Once you have this pattern perfected, making pants up is a cinch. It takes an afternoon for a newbie, but for a pro, a couple of hours -- once you have that pattern perfected.
This is the pant that I wear that gets the most compliments and even pros in the business remark at how well it fits because the hang and drape is so good. What they don't know that I do, is that this pant has the "Aaaaahhhh" factor. When I sit down I'm never worried about whether the pant will split or I'm going to have my eyeballs pop out cause the pants are so tight!
  
And that's what this resource does. Included in the resource are:
- Instructions on the kind of fabric to use and why
- Instruction on the pattern to use and why
- Instruction on fit, hang, the drape of the pant
- Instruction on hems and hem styles
- and when to use what style where
- Instruction on finishing techniques
- Instruction on variations of this ponte pant
- Instruction on styling for different figure types
- Instructions for care
This is full of inspiration, and instruction and is one of my most popular classes at Bernina when I teach in person - hopefully we will do that again!!!
In the meantime here's a fun class at the usually special discount for new resource introduction.
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