Halston Redux

Even with Harvey Weinstein and Jimmy Choo's Tamara Mellon behind it, Halston is still a troubled
label.

Ever since the legendary Roy Halston Frowick sold his name, the label - which was worn by Liza Minelli and Jerry Hall in the seventies - has been frought. Since it was revived in the late nineties, it's had a series of designers come and go through a veritable revolving door - including names like Randolph Duke and Bradley Bayou, who've had major fashion successes under their own names..

When Weinstein and Mellon purchased Halston in 2006, it was big news on Wall Street. Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's other forays into the fashion business: "Project Runway" and his wife Georgina Chapman's Marchesa line - have been nothing short of stellar. But when Halston under new designer Marco Zanini and stylist Rachel Zoe debuted its new aesthetic at New York fashion week in Feb 08, the reviews were underwhelming at the least.

Since then, Zanini's departed and Zoe is no longer consulting. But the house forges on. Halston will still show at New York spring 09 fashion week in September, at the Museum of Modern Art, under the direction of a design team and Mellon herself. It will be interesting to see who the next name is to go through the revolving door. And if the design team can manage to find the zeitgeist of the major spring trends.

by Merle GInsberg