There's been just a bit of buzz about the Halston relaunch. How could there not be, when the king of Hollywood heat, Harvey Weinstein, is the man behind the project, and Tamara Mellon and Rachel Zoe are both at his side? The label's new creative director, Marco Zanini (Donatella Versace’s longtime first designer), is understandably no match for those outsize personalities, but it's his clothes that have to do the talking, and their moment finally came this afternoon at the Gagosian Gallery.
Halston’s oeuvre is of course well-known, and Zanini showed it a healthy amount of respect, launching straight into such signatures as the shirtdress and easy separates like boot-cut pants and long skirts with a soft swing, as well as tent dresses that he showed in cashmere, silk, and jersey. Zanini had also studied the late designer’s color palette—the dusty pastels were all there.
The newcomer already has one true believer: Liza Minnelli—in a vintage Halston pantsuit, naturally—let out an enthusiastic whoop at the first look, a lush knit cape in slate gray over a matching knit dress and suede knee-high boots. But overall, the collection left you wanting more. More of Halston’s double-face cashmere coats, yes, but also more of a sense of how Zanini will take the label forward. The unstructured evening gowns he showed today won’t cut it.
