How much was Halston worth?

“One thing I know for sure, sexy sells.” Halston

About Halston

Halston was born Roy Halston Frowick and became one of Americas most recognized fashion designers. He was the fashion designer who epitomized glamour and disco style. In the 1970s, he came out with his iconic jersey halter dresses. Ultrasuede shirtwaist dresses and at that time, also his sleek jumpsuits. Halston’s minimal, sophisticated designs, made Halston a household name. And were of course the garments to wear among his wealthy friends, the Halstonettes.

It was 1972, the time of the Easter Offensive, in Vietnam. Civilians were fleeing the 1972 Battle of Quảng Trị, and burial of 300 victims of the 1968 Huế Massacre. But in New York an industrious fashion designer was far removed from all of that. Halston, was creating one of his most iconic designs.

Halston’s designs were popular among the most fashionable in society, including Jacqueline Kennedy. He designed a shirtwaist dress using a new synthetic microfiber fabric called Ultrasuede. It was ready for stores by 1974 and all the rage by 1975. It was known for its minimalist design which Halston was recognized for ahead of his time. It was young and sexy while retaining elegance and class. It became well accepted in polite society, as well as in the fashion districts.

Early Years

In Halston’s early years he revealed his creativity for fashion design and began designing and hand making clothes for his mother and his sister. After graduating from Indiana University he studied art at The Art Institute of Chicago; this is when he realized in his heart that he was to become a great fashion designer.

He stayed in Chicago and worked in high-end department store, Carson Pirie Scott & Co. (Carson’s). Working first as a fashion merchandiser and then later he began selling his own fashionable designed hats. His market was for women, and who knew what Halston had in store.

Then in 1958 Halston moved to New York City and managed to get a job working for the famed French milliner Lilly Daché. By 1959 at the millinery department at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City, Halston became the head milliner.

Then as his career took shape and so did his designs, by 1961, he had already become very popular in fashionable society. He even became known for making hats for Jacqueline Kennedy. Including the trademark pillbox hat that she was famously wearing at her husband John F. Kennedy’s presidential inauguration.

And by 1966, in association with Bergdorf Goodman, Halston began to design clothing that was not tailored, but designed for off the rack. He was so successful with his designs and they had become so desirable, that Halston was able to afford to open his first shop, the Boulevard Salon, in New York City in 1968.

In 1975, after his shirtwaist Ultrasuede had become so popular. Halston released his fragrance Halston.

By the end of the ’70s Halston was already a wealthy man with a net worth of an estimated $3 million dollars. Which is about $12 million dollars today. Halston himself was a sex symbol and became known in the New York City nightclub Studio 54. He was partying with artists like Andy Warhol and contemporary fashion designers like Yves Saint Laurent. He was seen with celebrities who had become more like friends than clients. Celebrities including Jerry Hall, Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor.

His appearances are considered to have contributed to his success and his designs took over with disco goers. His jumpsuits, and pajama sets, were worn to clubs. His draped dresses and slim trouser suits were worn to restaurants. One-shoulder evening gowns and more were worn to polite gatherings and get-togethers.

Halston developed a close knit group of models and clients who wanted custom garments, or at very least to be ahead of the trend before a new garment came out. These were Halston’s Halstonettes.

Halston even redesigned the staff uniforms for Braniff International Airways, in 1977.