Halston

Halston
Original Halston logo
Born	Roy Halston Frowick (1932-04-23)April 23, 1932 Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Died	March 26, 1990(1990-03-26) (aged 57) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Kaposi's sarcoma
Nationality	American
Education	Benjamin Bosse High School
Occupation	Fashion designer, milliner
Labels	Halston Limited Halston III Halston IV

Roy Halston Frowick (April 23, 1932 – March 26, 1990), known simply as Halston, was an American fashion designer who rose to international fame in the 1970s. His minimalist, clean designs, often made of cashmere or ultrasuede, were popular fashion wear in mid-1970s discotheques and redefined American fashion. An American designer, Halston was well known for creating a style for “American Women”. From his point of view, the “American Woman” was about having a relaxed urban lifestyle. He created a new phenomenon in the 1970s. Halston believed that women can wear the same clothing for the entire day on any occasion.

Roy Halston Frowick was born on April 23, 1932 in Des Moines, Iowa, the second son of Norwegian-American accountant James Edward Frowick and his seamstress wife Hallie Mae (née Holmes). Halston developed an interest in sewing from his mother, and he began creating hats and altering clothes for his mother and sister as a boy. He graduated from Benjamin Bosse High School in Evansville, Indiana, in 1950, then attended Indiana University before enrolling at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

In 1952, Halston moved to Chicago, where he enrolled in a night course at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and he worked as a window dresser. In 1953, he opened his own hat business. His first customer was radio actress and comedian Fran Allison. Halston's hats were also bought by Kim Novak, Gloria Swanson, Deborah Kerr and Hedda Hopper.