Roy Halston Frowick had a propensity for being surrounded by a gaggle of swan-necked beauties—Pat Cleveland, Beverly Johnson, Karen Bjornson, and Anjelica Huston among them. But this season, it was another in that broader mold who inspired the team at Halston Heritage. Namely: Martha Graham. Halston himself had collaborated with the directional dancer and choreographer, creating costumes for pieces like her Clytemnestra. And this season, more generally, it was modern dance’s organicism and unfettered elegance that caught the eye of designer Marie Mazelis.
At today’s preview, Mazelis nodded to ideas like movement and lightness, the latter driven immediately home with her palette of whisper-soft blush and almond—what she dubbed “ballet neutrals.” But nigh every piece boasted some touch of those ideas. There were trapunto-finished suede, gently draped jackets, the lightest ribbed cashmere tanks, and an evening gown with loose, strip detailing along the neckline which was whipped up in both matte crepe and lightly glossy satin to dynamic effect. Mazelis also proposed a handful of great catsuits and bodysuits in stretch metallic, a versatile styling piece and fitting foil to all the unshowy neutrals elsewhere. A nice, and nicely understated, offering from the designer and her team.
