OnScreen Review: “Halston”
The new miniseries “Halston” just dropped on Netflix and it is exactly what you would expect a show about an eccentric fashion designer in the 70’s to look like. It’s a show filled with sex, drugs, alcohol, and a whole lot of egos, just like the designer’s real life. The show follows the life and career of high fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick, known simply as Halston. He started out as a hat designer and came to prominence when he designed the famous pillbox hat Jackie Kennedy wore to the presidential inauguration of her husband J.F.K. He became an international sensation in the 1970s designing looks for his friend Liza Minelli and developing new fabrics and outfits for the everyday woman.
I enjoyed this show because with Halston’s career being rather short I was not as aware of him as other famous designers and the show made me, even more, intrigued to learn more about him. With that being said there were parts of the show that felt like they were done purely for shock value. There are many sex scenes shown, which is valid. You can see in the show that sex was a big part of Halston’s life, and it led to some heartbreaking moments. However, there were times where I felt those scenes didn’t serve the story or move the story forward, they were just there to shock the audience. But I have to say, that’s really my only critique of this show.
With this series being set during three different decades, the late 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, there is no shortage of fabulous sets and costumes. The costume team completely brought Halston’s creations back to life. They also created looks that were so eccentric and pure 70’s that it really puts the audience in Halston’s world being surrounded by beautiful high fashion 24/7. The sets did the same thing. In particular the recreation of Studio 54. Which just like the costumes, makes you feel like you’re actually a part of this partying, high fashion, boozy, druggy, life. Maybe you don’t want to feel that way in your normal life, but it definitely helps you understand the world Halston was involved in better.
I was also really impressed with the casting. Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge!, Star Wars) plays Halston, and I thought it was a better performance than people may think at first glance. Some people might think that this performance is close to some McGregor has done before or that he was too eccentric or not eccentric enough, but what I think McGregor did really well was play Halston’s internal battle with himself. McGregor perfectly portrayed a young insecure designer at the beginning of his career who morphs into an ego-centric man. But what’s interesting about Halston that McGregor showed was Halston was always insecure. Even when he was at the top of his game, he was concerned other designers would push him out. Outwardly he pretended as if no one could touch him or his career but inwardly that wasn’t the case. The insecurity coupled with the ego is exactly what led to him having a short career, and I think McGregor perfectly captured all those emotions.
What really sold the show for me was the beautiful direction by Daniel Minahan. The shots he directed were so interesting and fluid just like Halston’s designs. The direction accentuated all the beauty of the costumes, sets, and actors and it really draws you further into the story. I kept finding myself saying “oh wow, what a great shot!”.
While there are some parts of this show that I feel were a bit much, overall, I enjoyed this series. I thought it was a great glimpse into a designer I knew very little about before. If you’re a fan of fashion you should absolutely watch this show. If you’re simply just looking for something to watch, the entertainment value will definitely grab you. All five episodes are now streaming on Netflix. Happy Watching!