Screening “Ultrasuede-In Search of Halston” – Sex, Drugs, Fame and Fabric, tonight was an awesome experience!! It was interesting to see an era that I was on the fringe of, heard my slightly older friends stories about and actually experienced some of, come to life in film! It was amazing to see how Halston grew his Empire. His concept of wrapping yards and yards of chiffon around the body until it appeared to be floating, changed the way America dressed and defined Studio 54 in the 1970s. But his insatiable desire to have his name attached to anything and everything is what eventually lead to his downfall. However I think he lived the life that he wanted to; fast n furious! Interestingly enough his main drive being to reach out and touch everyone certainly was not apparent at the door of Studio 54!
The Q&A session with the film’s director Whitney Sudler-Smith, legendary 1970s fashion
model Pat Cleveland and fashion stylist Phillip Bloch following the film really completed the picture of life in the 70s with Halston, his entourage, Andy Warhol and the Factory, and the “Underworld”!!
Liza Minnelli, André Leon Talley, Anjelica Huston, Bob Colacello, and Billy Joel painted a vision of Halston that only a few got to see in the 70’s and brought this icon to the surface for all of us to experience.We are grateful for Whitney’s desire to direct this film. Hey Whitney, maybe we should get together and show what it was like in the 80’s to be with Betsey Johnson everyday for 6 years!
Thank you LIM for this great evening, looking forward to more!
