Halston, the interiors traversed by a fashion legend

Halston, portrayed by Ewan McGregor in the Netflix miniseries, chose to present his models and clients in the best light. The set designs were made by production designer Mark Ricker, who painstakingly attended to each detail in what we can appreciate today as a careful recreation of the interiors traversed by the fashion icon. While his designs accentuated masterful use of color and the explorations of new ideas, Halston made sure that his personal spaces were straightforward and simplified.

Like his extraordinary, colorful creations—billowy caftans, halter dresses and the Ultrasuede shirtdress material that made a big impact in the consciousness of American fashion in the 1970’s, his Manhattan apartment in New York reflected the richness of the personality of Halston.

Halston’s iconic home embraced minimalist furnishings and décor that survived the highs and lows of his career. He understood the importance of having his rooms not compete with people. That was important to him.

Halston’s townhouse in Manhattan, defined by its suspended stairway, astonishing openness, and choice of finishes, breathed his ‘Less is Best’ fashion philosophy. With Paul Rudolph as his architect, the townhouse was referred to as having sculptural geometry that reflected the designer’s interior design astuteness. His main room featured white and grey colors while a firmly knit flannel jersey typical in his clothing design made up his furniture upholstery. Halston did not believe in having many decorations, including art objects unless they could easily be moved.

His lighting preference was by candlelight, on low tables as he thought lighting from below was more flattering than from above. Noticeably, this preference was obvious when he was still living in an apartment as a struggling designer. In the miniseries, his initial apartment looked simple from afar, but take a second look and you would see the markings of a Halston home space—tall windows, horned accents, and a linear sofa with three striped throw pillows in a classic, light-colored open space that is handsomely embellished with home accessories.

The Halston showrooms were impressive and continued his signature style. His first office had large windows where finishes were predominantly white and cream. With his rising success, he moved into his incredible vermilion Olympic Tower offices, with panoramic views of the city skyline. Lacquered furniture, carpet, walls and upholstered sofas were all done in a particular shade of red, which may allude to both his bold confidence and unmatched passion at this stage of his life. In his working space, fiery discussions often took place – typical of creative designers that made a big dent on people’s lives. Both offices were filled with orchids, which they amusingly spend a fortune on as one of Halston’s non-negotiable expenditures.