The Halston label's many incarnations are almost as legendary as the designer himself. But Halston Heritage, the contemporary collection, has been chugging along for the past two years with Marie Mazelis, the former creative director of Max Azria and Hervé Léger, at the helm. Now she and CEO Ben Malka—who bought the company in 2011—are ready to show it off.
Since Halston Heritage is rooted in the eponymous designer's signature styles, Mazelis has had plenty of fun sifting through the archives for inspiration. For Resort, it was a photo of a caftan-clad Naomi Sims from a 1972 runway show that really resonated. "We're always trying to find new, modern ways of bringing in those classic silhouettes and details," said the Los Angeles-based designer while presenting the collection in New York City.
It's clear that Mazelis has a knack for doing just that. A black double-face sequin wrap dress was Studio 54-ish without feeling like a piece of vintage. A black jumpsuit with a multi-stitch tuxedo lapel managed to recall the era while still being totally on trend. Mazelis studied Halston's hand-painted vintage scarves, which inspired a one-shoulder dress and a caftan, both draped out of a square fabric. She even did a version of that original Halston caftan, which continues to be a hit silhouette forty years on. If Mazelis' task is to present Halston's history through a contemporary, easy-to-digest lens, then so far she's nailing it.
