[dramatic music] ♪ - Smith: THE '70s HAD EVERYTHING-- SEX, DRUGS, DISCO, AND GREAT FASHION.

WHEN I WAS A KID, I USED TO READ ABOUT HALSTON IN MAGAZINES REIGNING OVER STUDIO 54 SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL MODELS IN A CLOUD OF CIGARETTE SMOKE.

TO ME, HE WAS THE COOLEST.

- HE WAS EVERYTHING THE '70s WAS.

HALSTON IS EVERYTHING THE '70s WAS.

IT WAS CHIC.

IT WAS FUN.

IT WAS A LITTLE BIT NAUGHTY.

- HE WAS A GREAT DESIGNER, ONE OF THE GREATEST AMERICAN DESIGNERS EVER.

AND THE CLOTHES STILL STAND UP TODAY.

- HALSTON HAD SUCH AN AMAZING SORT OF PRESENCE.

HE LOOKED LIKE KIND OF MOVIE STAR VERSION OF WHAT A DESIGNER IS.

- I GREW UP IN HOLLYWOOD, AND NOTHING WAS AS GLAMOROUS AS HALSTON.

- HE LOOKED LIKE A MATINEE IDOL.

HE LIVED LIKE A PASHA.

- ALL THE GIRLS WERE AROUND HIM.

THEY WERE KIND OF SITTING AT HIS FEET, YOU KNOW?

AND I WAS WONDERING, WHO IS THIS GUY THAT THEY SEEM TO BE WORSHIPING?

- HE WAS THE PARTY.

IT WAS THE CELEBRITIES THAT WERE HANGING AROUND WITH HIM.

- THEY DANCED ALL NIGHT AND THEN THEY SLEPT IN THE DAY, AND THE NEXT NIGHT, THEY DID THE SAME THING, ALL DRESSED UP AGAIN.

HALSTON WAS AN EXTREMIST.

I MEAN, HIS DESIGNS WERE LARGE.

HE WAS LARGE.

HIS FUN WAS LARGE.

HIS PARTYING WAS LARGE.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE HOW IT ALL ENDED.

- HIS INFLUENCE WAS TREMENDOUS, BUT HE IS A BIT FORGOTTEN.

- ♪ LOVE IS THE DRUG - Smith: MY NAME IS WHITNEY SMITH, AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE A FILM ABOUT THAT GLAMOROUS, DECADENT TIME.

SO OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, EQUIPPED WITH A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE HAIRCUTS, I SET OUT IN SEARCH OF HALSTON.

[funk music] ♪ - Smith: MY FIRST STOP WAS HALSTON'S BEST FRIEND AND CONFIDANT THE ONE AND ONLY LIZA MINNELLI.

AS SHE WAS CLOSER TO HIM THAN ANYONE, IT SEEMED LIKE THE PERFECT PLACE TO BEGIN.

[whistling] [toy squeaks] - LIKE MY PUPPY.

MY PUPPY IS A HOLLYWOOD PUPPY.

[chuckles] SHE NEVER BARKS.

- [chuckles] UH, SO IS THIS A HALSTON YOU'RE WEARING?

- THIS BLOUSE IS, YES.

- THE BLOUSE IS?

- AND, UM, THESE ARE PANTS THAT HE DESIGNED A LONG TIME AGO.

- MM-HMM.

- THEY'RE STRETCH VELVET.

THEY'RE WONDERFUL.

- BEAUTIFUL.

CAN I FEEL?

[chuckles] - SURE.

- VERY SOFT.

- IT IS.

- WHAT WAS, UH, HALSTON LIKE AS A HUMAN BEING?

HIS KIND OF FLAIR?

- HE WAS DARING AND UNSTOPPABLE.

UNSTOPPABLE.

AN ALL-AMERICAN KID FROM THE MIDWEST.

HE MADE IT IN NEW YORK BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT PEOPLE NEEDED AND WANTED.

HE'D SAY, "YOU CAN'T JUST DO SOMETHING.

YOU GOTTA REALLY-- YOU GOTTA DISTURB 'EM."

- HOW DO YOU MEAN DISTURB 'EM?

- WELL, HE USED TO SAY, "YOU GOTTA F*** 'EM UP."

- [laughs] GOOD FOR HIM.

- [laughs] YOU KNOW, HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.

HE HAD AN EYE.

HE CUT THE SKIRT DIFFERENTLY.

IT FLARED BEAUTIFULLY.

AND HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO BE CONSIDERED BY EUROPE A REAL AMERICAN FASHION DESIGNER.

- AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WOULD HANG OUT WITH HALSTON, YOU KNOW, DURING A-- - WONDERFUL.

- YEAH.

- I DON'T KNOW.

WE--WE JUST WERE SO CLOSE.

HE WAS MY BIG BROTHER.

I LOVED HIM.

I TRUSTED HIM.

HE PROTECTED ME.

HE WAS MY FAMILY.

THIS HOUSE THAT WE'RE SITTING IN, I SAW THIS APARTMENT, AND I THOUGHT, OH, MY GOD, THIS IS WAY TOO BIG.

I WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO HERE.

- MM-HMM.

- AND I BROUGHT HALSTON OVER, AND HE SAID, "IT'S PERFECT!"

I SAID, "IT'S PERFECT?"

- UH-HUH.

[chuckles] - "WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN' ABOUT?"

- HE SAID, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

YOU GO OFF TO TAHOE AND DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO."

AND THEY DESIGNED THE WHOLE APARTMENT.

I CAME HOME, AND MARK AND I WALKED IN THE FRONT DOOR, AND THE WHOLE PLACE WAS CANDLELIT.

THERE WERE CANDLES ON--LITTLE-- YOU KNOW, THE VOTIVES-- ON EVERY TABLE.

THE LIGHTS WERE PERFECT.

WE WALKED INTO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL APARTMENT I HAD EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

AND HE'D GONE TO ALL THAT TROUBLE AND THEN LEFT SO THAT WE COULD DISCOVER IT OURSELVES.

IT WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, IT WAS ON THE COVER OF "ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST."

- WAS IT?

- YES.

- REALLY?

- ABSOLUTELY.

BIG SPREAD.

- THAT'S GREAT.

SO TOWARDS THE END, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE THE ONE PERSON TO REALLY STAND BY HIS SIDE.

- OH, WELL, NO, A LOT OF PEOPLE DID.

- DID THEY?

- OH, SURE.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND ALL--YOU KNOW, EVERY-- - YOU SEEMED LIKE HIS MOST LOYAL FRIEND.

- NO, I WAS HIS CLOSEST FRIEND.

- CLOSEST FRIEND.

- NOT HIS MOST LOYAL.

ALL HIS FRIENDS WERE LOYAL WHO WERE REAL FRIENDS.

YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY I KNOW LOVED HIM SO MUCH.

AND WHEN HE DIED, I GAVE HIM A, UH, MEMORIAL.

- WHAT DID YOU SING AT THE MEMORIAL?

DID YOU SING?

- NO.

- OH, YOU DIDN'T?

- IT WASN'T ABOUT ME.

IT WAS ABOUT HIM.

IT WAS FOR HIM.

- YEAH, IT WAS VERY TOUCHING.

YEAH, WELL, THANK YOU SO INCREDIBLY MUCH.

I MEAN, IT WAS A GREAT HONOR-- - OKAY, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

NOW YOU HAVE SOME GOOD AREAS TO GO LOOK AT.

- ABSOLUTELY.

OKAY.

- GO DO SOME RESEARCH.

FIND OUT ABOUT STUFF.

AND FIND OUT ABOUT THE SOLID STUFF.

F*** THE GOSSIP.

- I DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE GOSSIP, NO.

- NO, THIS IS A GREAT AMERICAN WHO CHANGED FASHION IN AMER-- - ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.

- HE PUT US ON THE MAP.

REALLY, I URGE YOU TO NOT GO FOR THE TRASHY STUFF.

YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID.

THE--THIS STUFF.

LOOK BEHIND THAT.

- YEAH.

- YOU GOTTA F*** 'EM UP.

- [laughs] - [laughs] IT WAS TRUE.

- SO, MOM, WHAT DO YOU THINK FROM MY PAST INSPIRED ME TO DO THIS FILM?

- FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD-- CHILDHOOD INFLUENCES?

- SURE.

YEAH.

- WELL, LET ME SEE.

YOU USED TO WATCH "SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT."

[Jerry Reed's "When You're Hot, You're Hot" playing] - ♪ WHEN YOU'RE HOT ♪ YOU'RE HOT - I KNOW YOU LOVED THE '70s, BUT I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS ABOUT A FASHION DESIGNER, ALTHOUGH, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN FASHION.

IN FACT, WHEN WE LIVED IN WASHINGTON, YOU WERE VOTED BEST-DRESSED LIST.

- IN 1989.

- 1989.

- GREAT YEAR.

- MM-HMM.

- [chuckles] I HOPE IT'S A BIG SUCCESS.

HERE'S TO YOU.

[laughs] - [laughs] THANKS, MOM.

- SO YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF ME IN MY OLD AGE.

- [laughs] - ♪ WHEN YOU'RE HOT ♪ YOU'RE HOT ♪ WHEN YOU'RE NOT ♪ YOU'RE NOT - Smith: WHILE DOWN SOUTH, I FIND OUT THERE WAS A HALSTON ARCHIVE BURIED SOMEWHERE IN THE DEPTHS OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

SO I DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE.

- WE'RE GATHERED TODAY IN THE HOME OF LIPSCOMB CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL.

AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THE SPIRITUAL FORMATION OF OUR STUDENTS, LONG VIEW, OR AS THE CENTER'S DIRECTOR CARL McKELVEY CALLS IT... [door closes] [synthesized music] ♪ - Smith: SCRAPBOOKS, BOXES WITH, LIKE, WEIRD REEL TAPES AND... A "VOGUE" CUTOUT.

MORE SCRAPBOOKS, PRESS CLIPPINGS.

[laughter] - Smith: I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S BEEN THROUGH THIS SINCE THE '80s.

THIS IS ALL THAT REMAINS OF HIS LIFE AND WORK.

- IT'S A BIT STRANGE AND IRONIC THAT SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTED THE EXCESS OF THE '70s WOULD END UP HERE IN A BIBLE COLLEGE.

[classical music playing] - WHEN WE FIRST ACQUIRED HALSTON BORGHESE, I DON'T THINK WE WERE REALLY TOTALLY AWARE THAT WE HAD THE ARCHIVES.

- SORRY.

I DON'T WANT THESE DOORS OPEN.

- ALL RIGHT, YOU WANT TO START AGAIN?

'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE TIME.

IS THAT IT?

- WE'LL BE IN AND OUT.

[chuckles] - I KIND OF STUMBLED ON THE ARCHIVES.

ALL I SAW IS THIS INVENTORY THAT SAID I HAD, I DON'T KNOW, 58 BOXES OR SOMETHING.

- MM-HMM.

- BUT IT DIDN'T SAY WHAT WAS IN THE BOXES.

- YEAH.

- YOU CAN TELL WE DO THIS A LOT, CAN'T YOU?

- DO YOU?

- YEAH.

I DO FOX ON--ON WHAT?

MONDAY AGAIN?

- NOW HOW DID IT END UP AT LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY?

- WELL, MY MOTHER LIVES IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

- DID YOU TALK TO F.I.T.

OR ANY OTHER SCHOOLS?

- YES, F.I.T.

HAD SOME HALSTON.

- MM-HMM.

- UM, AND REALLY COULDN'T TAKE ALL THE--THE ENTIRE ARCHIVES.

- MM-HMM.

- BUT I REALIZED THAT I HAD A RESOURCE... - YEAH.

- THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WAS PRESERVED.

I WANTED TO GIVE IT... [telephone rings] - TO A UNIVERSITY THAT, UM, WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

- MM.

- AND I WANTED SOME PLACE THAT IT COULD BE THE CORNERSTONE OF THEIR FASHION, UH, INSTITUTE.

- OH, THAT'S GREAT, YEAH.

WE WENT AND TRAVELED DOWN THERE, AND, UH, WE WERE, YOU KNOW, REALLY BLOWN AWAY BY THE WHOLE PRESENTATION.

WE OPENED SOME BOXES-- - WELL, THEN YOU KNOW--YOU KNOW WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE IS LIKE.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- IT WAS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME OPENING THOSE BOXES.

- THAT'S GOOD, SO I-- WELL, THAT'S ALL WE NEEDED.

THAT'LL BE GREAT.

I'M GLAD YOU TOLD THE STORY.

- OH, THAT WAS EASY.

- SEE, WASN'T THAT EASY?

- THAT WAS SO EASY.

- SEE, I TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE PAINLESS.

- OH, DEAR.

- SO, WANDERER, IN HOLLYWOOD CINEMATIC TERMS, YOU'RE, LIKE, THE-- THE WISEMAN GUIDING ME ON THIS INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY.

- OKAY.

- IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

- ABSOLUTELY.

[chuckles] - SO, LIKE, UM, SO WHAT WERE DESIGNERS DOING BEFORE HALSTON CAME ALONG?

WHAT WAS GOING ON FASHION-WISE?

- FASHION-WISE, HALSTON, UH, CAME ALONG AT A TIME WHEN FASHION WAS CHANGING.

UNTIL 1961, WITH THE ARRIVAL OF JACQUELINE KENNEDY IN THE WHITE HOUSE, FASHION WAS NOT DEMOCRATIC.

HALSTON HAD BEEN A MILLINER AT BERGDORF GOODMAN MAKING HATS FOR THE COVERS OF "VOGUE," CREATING IMAGES OF FANTASY AND ALSO IMAGES OF PRACTICALITY IN HATS.

HIS SALON AT BERGDORF WAS THE PLACE WHEN WOMEN STILL HAD TO WEAR HATS.

SO HALSTON WAS ASSIGNED BY MRS. VREELAND TO HELP JACQUELINE KENNEDY WITH HER INAUGURAL WARDROBE, AND-- - SORRY, IF I CAN INTERRUPT-- BUT DIANA VREELAND-- WHO IS SHE EXACTLY?

- WELL, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT HALSTON.

I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT FASHION OF DIANA VREELAND.

I DON'T WANT TO DO HISTORY, AND SO LET ME TALK.

DON'T INTERRUPT.

- OKAY.

- DIANA VREELAND WAS A FASHION EDITOR AT "VOGUE," AND SHE WAS A GREAT CATALYST FOR FASHION.

MRS. VREELAND AND HALSTON TOGETHER, I THINK, SUGGESTED THAT JACQUELINE KENNEDY NOT WEAR A FUR COAT, BUT WEAR A CLOTH COAT AND THEN THE PILLBOX HAT.

HALSTON CREATED THE FAMOUS PILLBOX HAT.

IT WAS A TOTAL TURNABOUT FROM WHAT THE FORMER FIRST LADIES WOULD WEAR TO THE INAUGURAL.

AND WITH THAT UNIFORM, THAT OPENED THE WORLD OF FASHION.

SO WHAT HALSTON STOOD FOR, EVEN FROM THE BEGINNING, WAS AMERICAN SIMPLICITY.

IT WAS A TIME WHEN FASHION-- [cell phone alert playing Daniel Decatur Emmett's "Dixie."]

- EXCUSE ME, ANDRE.

CAREFUL OF THE-- - YOU SHOULD BE TELLING HIM BE CAREFUL ABOUT HIS CELL PHONE RINGING.

I MEAN--I MEAN, TELL HIM ABOUT THE CELL PHONE.

SOMETHING ABOUT-- - S***.

YOU'RE FROM THE SOUTH.

- OH, AM I CONFEDERATE-- DID CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS MARCH OR SOME S***?

[laughter] - IT'S "DIXIE."

- OH, "DIXIE."

OH, GOD.

YOU WOULD HAVE THAT ON YOUR CELL PHONE.

AS WE LIVE AND BREATHE.

CAN I HAVE ANOTHER CAPPUCCINO, PLEASE?

UM, THEN WITH JACQUELINE KENNEDY, THEN HE DECIDED TO LEAVE BERGDORF GOODMAN AND GO ON HIS OWN AND DO READY-TO-WEAR WITH A FEW INVESTORS AND PARTNERS, ONE OF THEM BEING A FORMER "VOGUE" EDITOR FRANCES PATIKY STEIN, HE OPENED UP HIS OWN BUSINESS ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE IN A TOWN HOUSE THAT BECAME THE FIRST MODERN COUTURE ESTABLISHMENT IN AMERICA.

- WAS HE THE FIRST AMERICAN HAUTE COUTURIERE?

- NO.

- COUTURIER?

- BEFORE HALSTON, THERE WAS NORMAN NORELL WHO WAS THE MASTER, MAINBOCHER-- [glass shatters] - SHE HAS TO GO SIT DOWN.

SHE'S DISTRACTING.

TELL HER TO GO SIT DOWN.

- SIT DOWN.

YOU'RE RUINING EVERYTHING.

- [laughs] - Narrator: IT WAS ONLY JUST A FEW YEARS AGO THAT WHEN ONE THOUGHT OF FASHION DESIGNERS, NAMES LIKE GIVENCHY AND CHANEL CAME TO MIND.

BUT NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME, AN AMERICAN DESIGNER HAS APPEARED ON THE SCENE AND THREATENS TO ECLIPSE EVEN THE BEST OF THE FRENCH MASTERS.

- MINIMALISM HE INVENTED.

THE ONE-NOTE LOOK.

BEFORE THAT, PEOPLE WERE WEARING DRESSMAKER SUITS, ALL OF THE GREAT AMERICAN DESIGNERS, AND NEVER THOUGHT TO JUST FALL BACK ON SOME ELEGANCE AND SIMPLICITY.

HALSTON'S FAVORITE PHRASE WAS "LESS IS MORE."

A GIRL WOULD COME INTO A LUNCHEON IN A HALSTON CASHMERE TWIN SET AND A SKIRT AND A HARNESS BELT AROUND HER WAIST, A BANGLE OR CUFF FROM ELSA PERETTI OR A SILVER VASE WITH A LITTLE ORCHID IN IT.

CASHMERE--I MEAN, THE IDEA OF 6-PLY CASHMERE, I'D NEVER HEARD OF.

HALSTON KNEW HIS BUSINESS FROM INSIDE OUT.

HE ABSOLUTELY KNEW WHAT THE FABRICS WERE.

HAMMERED SATIN-- HE KNEW WHERE THE BEST HAMMERED SATIN CAME FROM.

- MM-HMM.

- HE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT MAKING CLOTHES.

WHEN HE SHOWED HIS COLLECTIONS, THERE WAS SUCH INNOVATION.

HE HAD AN AMERICAN SENSIBILITY THAT HAD NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE.

[synthesized music] ♪ - AND IT WAS INNOVATIVE, MODERN, UNIQUE, ORIGINAL.

I WAS WORKING WITH... AT THE TIME, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS FABULOUS.

THE CLOTHES REALLY WORKED-- CASUAL CHIC.

- WHAT CAN I DO TO GET TO THE HEART OF HALSTON?

WHO SHOULD I TALK TO?

- ELSA PERETTI.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF ELSA PERETTI'S GONNA TALK TO YOU.

- WHY?

- I DON'T KNOW.

DID SHE SAY SHE WOULD?

- NO.

- NO.

- WELL, HOW DO I TALK TO HER?

- IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT, BUT ELSA PERETTI AND HALSTON-- SHE WAS THE ONE WHO CREATED THE SIMPLICITY OF THE JEWELRY.

SHE WAS ALMOST HIS MUSE.

THERE YOU GO OVER TO TIFFANY'S, AND YOU'LL SEE ALL OF ELSA PERETTI'S CANDLESTICKS, HER BONE STUFF, HER DIAMONDS BY THE YARD.

IT WAS ALL DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH HALSTON.

SHE AND HALSTON WERE VERY, VERY CLOSE FRIENDS.

- Narrator: HE RECEIVES FOR LUNCH EVERY DAY UPSTAIRS ON THE THIRD FLOOR, AMIDST THE DOWN-FILLED, ULTRASUEDE FURNITURE THE TROPICAL PLANTS, THE ROCK MUSIC, AND THE SCENTED CANDLES.

AT A TYPICAL LUNCH ONE DAY LAST WEEK, HE'S GUESTS WERE PHOTOGRAPHER BARRY BERENSON, SOCIALITE MRS. DOUGLAS...

ARTIST VICTOR HUGO, FASHION ILLUSTRATOR JOE EULA, AND ANDY WARHOL SUPERSTAR PAT AST.

[glasses clink] - JOE EULA THE ILLUSTRATOR WAS VERY CLOSE TO HALSTON, AND THEY WERE LIKE BROTHERS, AND JOE EULA, HALSTON, AND ELSA WAS LIKE A TRIUMVIRATE OF GREAT TALENT AND GREAT PERSONALITY.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S TOO LATE.

YOU WAITED TOO LATE.

YOU STARTED TOO LATE.

JOE EULA HAS GONE ON TO THE GREAT BEYOND.

YOU SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO JOE EULA AT HIS BEDSIDE.

YOU WOULD HAVE HAD A GREAT STORY.

WORKING ON A COLLECTION HAD TO BE EXTRAORDINARY.

I CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING.

THEY'RE STILL DOING FITTINGS, AND ELSA'S STANDING THERE BEING DRAPED.

JOE EULA'S SKETCHING.

HALSTON'S DESIGNING.

THE PEOPLE ARE RUNNING IN AND OUT OF THE ROOMS.

HALSTON WORKED WITH SUCH PASSION.

- LET'S SEE YOU TURN IN THAT.

LET'S SEE.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

- IT'S SO SOFT.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT-- - YOU'RE IN CHIFFON.

- OH, HALSTON, WAIT TILL YOU SEE ME.

I'M SO BEAUTIFUL.

[voices overlapping] - HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU, SAY, WALK INTO A RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK, AND A LADY COMES IN LOOKING SMASHING IN A HALSTON OUTFIT?

- I'M VERY PROUD.

I'M JUST VERY PROUD, IF SOMEBODY LOOKS GOOD IN IT.

- Smith: I HAD ZERO LUCK IN TRACKING DOWN THE ELUSIVE ELSA PERETTI.

I DID HOWEVER GET A LEAD ON THE DESIGNER WHO COME CONSIDER TO BE HALSTON'S HEIR APPARENT.

- THERE COULD HAVE BEEN NO ZORAN.

THERE COULD HAVE BEEN NO DONNA KARAN OR ME OR MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITHOUT THAT MAN PLUGGING INTO THE AESTHETIC OF AMERICAN FASHION.

AND ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T ADMIT IT SHOULD.

THIS MAN HAS A BODY OF WORK THAT'S UNDENIABLY UNTOUCHABLE.

BEFORE WE START, I JUST NEED ONE THING... [touch-tones beeping] - YEAH, SURE.

- AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK.

I'M ALL YOURS.

[telephone rings] - Yes?

- COULD YOU BRING ME THREE EXCEDRIN?

[laughter] - THANKS.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

- WELL, I WAS LOOKING-- YOU HAVE A PICTURE-- THIS IS A HALSTON, RIGHT?

- IT IS.

AND THAT'S ULTRASUEDE.

- THAT'S ULTRASUEDE.

- IT'S ULTRASUEDE.

ULTRASUEDE IS A POLYESTER FIBER THAT HAS BEEN SYNTHETICALLY MADE.

IT WAS MADE IN JAPAN, INTRODUCED ORIGINALLY BY ISSEY MIYAKE.

IT WAS HALSTON WHO HAD THE BRILLIANCE AND THE INSIGHT... - MM-HMM.

- TO SAY, "OH, MY GOD.

WE HAVE A SYNTHETIC THAT ACTS LIKE A LUXURY FIBER"... - AHH.

- "BUT IT'S SO PRACTICAL."

BECAUSE HE DID HAVE THIS BRILLIANCE OF MARRYING PRACTICALITY WITH LUXURY.

YOU CAN POP ALL OF THIS STUFF IN A WASHER AND JUST HANG DRY IT, AND IT DRIED PERFECTLY WITH THE NAP COMING DOWN AND NO DISTORTION TO IT.

- UH-HUH.

- AND HE DID THAT FAMOUS SHIRTWAIST.

- SHIRTWAIST.

- IT WAS A SHIRTWAIST DRESS, AND IT SOLD MORE THAN ANY OTHER DRESS EVERY IN HISTORY.

HE GAVE BIRTH TO ULTRASUEDE.

REVOLUTIONARY.

THE CHIC AND THE CHANGE IN FASHION WAS OVERNIGHT.

EVERYTHING WAS OBLITERATED.

NOTHING LOOKED TASTEFUL ANYMORE.

EVERYONE FLOCKED.

EVERYONE WORE CASHMERE SEPARATES.

EVERYBODY LOOKED INCREDIBLE.

BESIDES HAVING A SERIOUS, RES--DEEP, DEEP, DEEP RESPECT FOR THIS MAN, HE ALSO GAVE ME MY FIRST JOB IN THIS INDUSTRY.

I WASN'T IN THE FRONT SAYING, "DIVINE."

- MM-HMM.

- I WAS IN THE BACK WORKING AND MAKING MUSLINS.

- WHAT'D YOU LEARN FROM HALSTON WHILE YOU WERE WORKING THERE.

- HE, ONE EVENING, TOOK A PAIR OF SCISSORS, THREW A BOLT OF PURPLE SILK CHIFFON ON THE FLOOR--ON THE FLOOR-- KNEW EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS GOING TO GO IN DIMENSION, AND CUT INTO CLOTH, AND HE CUT A DRESS OUT WITH NO SEAMS.

THERE ARE NO SEAMS.

IT WRAPS AROUND THE BODY IN ONCE PIECE, AND THE TOP PART JUST CATCHES AT THE TOP OF THE NECK.

AND AS A WOMAN WALKS... - MM.

- IT OPENS FROM DOWN THERE, AND SHE BECOMES-- SHE SORT OF BECOMES NAKED IN THIS VAPOR OF CHIFFON.

THIS WAS THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

DO YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT CAN LOOK AT A PIECE OF FABRIC AND THINK IN THREE DIMENSIONS AND CUT IT RIGHT THERE ON THE FLOOR?

I DON'T.

[funk music] ♪ - HI, HOW YOU DOING?

- Smith: A MUST STOP ON MY SEARCH IS THE COSTUME INSTITUTE WHICH RESIDES IN THE HEART OF THE MET.

IN ADDITION TO THROWING THE GALA OF THE YEAR, THE INSTITUTE PRESERVES THE WORKS OF THE GREATEST DESIGNERS.

- WELL, HERE WE ARE.

- HI, HAROLD.

- WHITNEY, HOW ARE YOU?

PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

- WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

- SO MUCH OF WHAT MADE HALSTON A GENIUS IS UNSEEN IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL CLOTHING.

HE WAS NO CREATOR OF NEW FORMS OF DRESS.

THEY'RE VERY SIMPLE SHAPES-- A TANK TOP NECKLINE OR A DOLMAN SLEEVE.

BUT WHERE THEY'RE DIFFERENT IS THE WAY THAT THE ACTUAL GARMENT IS CONSTRUCTED.

UNLIKE A NORMAL CAFTAN, WHICH IS CUT ON THE STRAIGHT GRAIN AND, YOU KNOW, ALL-- EVERYTHING ALIGNS LIKE THIS, WELL, WHAT HE'S DONE IS HE'S PLAYED WITH IT.

EVERYTHING IS ON THE BIAS.

EVERYTHING IS AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE.

IT THEN CLEAVES TO ALL THE HIGH POINTS OF THE BODY-- THE TOP OF THE HIP LINE, THE BUST, THE SHOULDER.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLY FLATTERING WAY TO CREATE VOLUME, CONSTRUCTED IN A WAY THAT NOBODY HAD THOUGHT OF CONSTRUCTING A DRESS BEFORE.

IF THAT WAS FOLDED METAL, IT WOULD BE EXTRAORDINARY SCULPTURE.

I REALLY REGRET THAT HE HIMSELF NEVER TALKED ABOUT THE MAKING OF THINGS.

HE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE WOMEN WHO WERE WEARING IT.

- YOU ARE AS GOOD AS THE PEOPLE YOU DRESS.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR, JACKIE ONASSIS, BIANCA JAGGER, BETTY FORD, CANDICE BERGEN.

- HE HAD THE MATRONS AND MARISA BERENSON.

THE IT GIRL OF THE MOMENT WAS WEARING HALSTON AT THE SAME TIME AS KAY GRAHAM.

AND IT'S THE SAME CLOTHING.

WHO DOES THAT ANYMORE?

- I HAD ONE TIME-- 58 OF 'EM SHOWED UP IN THE SAME DRESS, WHICH WAS AN ULTRASUEDE DRESS, WHICH WE SOLD A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND OF.

BUT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE DRESSES THAT WORKED FOR EVERYBODY.

- NOW HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE TO A DESIGNER LIKE YOURSELF?

- BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ATTRACT ATTENTION.

THEY'RE IN THE NEWSPAPERS, SO THEREFORE, THEY ARE YOUR BEST ADVERTISEMENT.

- WHEN YOU WON THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR "CABARET," WHAT WERE YOU WEARING THAT NIGHT?

- A YELLOW HALSTON DRESS.

SIMPLE TANK TOP, LONG DRESS WITH A YELLOW CARDIGAN, BECAUSE MY FATHER'S FAVORITE COLOR WAS YELLOW.

HE KNEW THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD LUCK.

EVERY TIME I WENT ONSTAGE, HE DRESSED ME.

I PERSPIRE ONSTAGE.

I MEAN, MY HAIR GETS SOAKING WET FIRST.

HE CAME BACKSTAGE, AND HE WENT, "WELL, YOU'RE SHINY, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE SHINY ALL OVER."

- YES.

- AND HE STARTED DOING BEADS AND SEQUINS FOR ME.

SOME OF THOSE CLOTHES HAVE BECOME SO FAMOUS.

MINIMALIST, SIMPLE, BUT SO CHIC.

- MM-HMM.

- ♪ IT'S LIZA WITH A Z ♪ NOT LISA WITH AN S ♪ 'CAUSE LISA WITH AN S ♪ GOES "SSS" NOT "ZZZ" ♪ IT'S Z INSTEAD OF S ♪ LIE INSTEAD OF LEE ♪ SIMPLE AS CAN BE ♪ SEE?

♪ LIZA [applause] - WHITNEY, CATHY'S HERE.

- HI, CATHY.

- [speaking indistinctly] - HI, HOW ARE YOU?

- I'M GOOD.

- HOW ARE YOU?

HOW ARE YOU?

- WE'LL MAKE THIS SHORT AND SWEET.

- OKAY.

- AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE.

SO TELL US ABOUT THE 1973 FASHION SHOW IN VERSAILLES.

WASN'T THIS THE FIRST TIME AN AMERICAN DESIGNER HAD BEEN ASKED TO SHOW IN EUROPE?

- YEAH.

IN AMERICA, EVERYTHING WAS DOMINATED BY EUROPE... - MM-HMM.

- AND BY COUTURE.

AMERICAN DESIGNERS REALLY WERE NOT KNOWN.

- SO THE VERSAILLES SHOW PUT HIM ON THE MAP INTERNATIONALLY?

- YEAH, VERY MUCH.

IT WAS A BIG SOCIAL THING.

IT WAS AT VERSAILLES.

PARTIES GALORE.

IT WAS ARRANGED THAT FIVE EUROPEAN DESIGNERS WOULD SHOW AND FIVE AMERICAN DESIGNERS-- BILL BLASS, OSCAR de la RENTA, ANNE KLEIN, HALSTON, AND STEPHEN BURROWS.

- THAT IT HAPPENED AT ALL WAS KIND OF A MIRACLE.

- YEAH.

- THE FRENCH DIDN'T CONSIDER AMERICA ANYTHING.

THEY WERE VERY THEATRICAL.

THEY HAD SCENERY AND STAGING.

IT WAS REALLY KIND OF CORNY.

- WAS IT?

- YEAH.

- EXCUSE ME.

- SURE.

ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP?

I'LL TRY SOMETHING ON.

[chuckles] - THE FRENCH MARSHALED ALL OF THEIR EFFORT AND THE BEST BALLET DANCERS, CAMELS AND HORSES ON THE STAGE.

THEY--THEY GOT EVERYTHING.

THE AMERICANS ROLLED INTO PARIS WITHOUT THE KIND OF SETS AND THE KIND OF GRANDIOSE THINGS THAT THE FRENCH HAD PLANNED, AND WHAT MADE IT WORK WAS THE CLOTHES WERE SO SIMPLE.

THE MODELS WERE GREAT.

THEY HAD BLACK MODELS.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE SEEING ALL THIS.

- I WAS SINGING A SONG CALLED "AU REVOIR, PARIS."

♪ AU REVOIR, PARIS ♪ AU REVOIR, PARIS ♪ UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN WE ALL WAVED, "GOOD NIGHT!

THANK YOU, PARIS!"

THE CURTAIN WENT DOWN.

YOU HEARD... [singing] AND THE CURTAIN WENT UP, AND THE--THEY WENT BANANAS.

THEY WERE IMPRESSED.

- I DON'T KNOW.

THEY JUST WENT CRAZY.

THEY CALL IT "THE BATTLE OF VERSAILLES."

WE SEEM TO HAVE MADE THE WHOLE EVENING.

[chuckles] - OH, I REMEMBER SAINT LAURENT THROWING HIS BOOK IN THE AIR AT THE END OF THE SHOW.

HE SAID, "WE'VE LEARNED SOMETHING TONIGHT."

- SO THE AMERICANS WHIPPED THE FRENCH AGAIN.

- WELL, WE DIDN'T WHIP 'EM, BUT WE DID IT LIKE AMERICANS AND LIKE HALSTON-- CLEAN, DIRECT, TO THE POINT... - MM-HMM.

- AND EFFECTIVE.

- SUCCINCT.

- EFFECTIVE.

YEAH.

[upbeat music] ♪ - HI, HOW YOU DOIN'?

SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE HALSTON STAR LIKE THE WALK OF FAME IN HOLLYWOOD, EXCEPT THEY HAVE A WALK OF FAME FOR THE GREAT DESIGNERS, AND THEY HAVE STARS ON THE SIDEWALK.

SO WE'RE GOING TO PAY OUR RESPECT TO THIS GREAT AMERICAN.

ACTUALLY, I THINK IT STARTS HERE.

I THINK WE MISSED IT.

HI.

HI.

QUICK QUESTION.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE HALSTON STAR IS?

- HALISTON?

- HALSTON.

- HALSTON?

- HE HAS A STAR FROM THE, LIKE, FAMOUS DESIGNERS.

- OH, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT HERE.

- OKAY, WHERE-- - THEY LOOK LIKE MANHOLE COVERS.

- IT'S THESE, UM, LUSCIOUS MANHOLE COVERS THAT ARE ALSO THE STARS.

STEPHEN BURROWS.

[synthesized music] ♪ - THERE IT IS.

"THE '70s BELONGED TO HALSTON."

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO WORK WITH HIM IN THE '70s?

IT MUST HAVE BEEN FUN, THOUGH.

- YEAH, IT WAS FUN.

IT WAS LIKE A DREAM JOB.

WE WERE AT 33 UNION SQUARE WEST WHICH WAS THE FACTORY WHERE ANDY WARHOL WAS SHOT.

WE HAD A REALLY SMALL CREW.

IN THE BEGINNING, BOB COLACELLO AND I DID JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.

WE WOULD GO TO THE PRINTER, LOAD THE, UH, MAGAZINES, TAKE 'EM TO NEWSSTANDS, UM, YOU KNOW, TRY TO SELL ADS.

WE DID EVERYTHING.

- ONE OF MY FIRST ENCOUNTERS WITH HALSTON WAS IN THE EARLY DAYS OF INTERVIEW.

JOE EULA HAD CONTRIBUTED SOME DRAWINGS, AND HALSTON WANTED THEM BACK.

GLENN HAD NOT TAKEN VERY CARE OF THEM.

THEY WERE IN THE LAYOUT ROOM UNDER A PILE OF OTHER STUFF.

WHEN HE SAW THEM ALL WRINKLED, HE WAS JUST-- HE WENT BALLISTIC.

"HOW DARE YOU TREAT THIS WORK OF A GREAT ARTIST LIKE JOE EULA-- WHO DOES ANDY THINK HE IS?

DOES ANDY THINK HE'S THE ONLY ARTIST IN TOWN?"

I WAS LIKE, "NO, ANDY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS, HALSTON."

- WELL, I THINK THAT THERE WAS A MUTUAL FASCINATION BETWEEN ANDY AND HALSTON.

I THINK AT THE BEGINNING, THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT SHY OF ONE ANOTHER, BUT THEN THEY SOON BECAME THICK AS THIEVES.

ANDY'S ENTOURAGE MIXED WITH HALSTON'S ENTOURAGE.

- DO YOU THINK ANDY USED HALSTON TO GET, LIKE, BIG-NAME CLIENTS FOR PORTRAITS AND EVERYTHING?

- I THINK THAT THEY BOTH BENEFITTED FROM ENCOUNTERING ONE ANOTHER'S CIRCLE.

- WELL, WERE THEY COMPETING AT ALL?

- WELL, HALSTON COULD BE COMPETITIVE.

I MEAN, HE WAS COMPETITIVE, YEAH, AND HE HAD TO BE IN CHARGE.

- SO HALSTON WAS INDEPENDENT UNTIL NOR-- - HALSTON WAS INDEPENDENT UNTIL NORTON SIMON, UH, CAME ALONG, THE NORTON SIMON CORPORATION... - MM-HMM.

- AND SAID, "WE WANT TO BUY YOUR COMPANY, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE YOU THAT MUCH BIGGER"-- MASS-PRODUCED LINE, AND FRAGRANCES, AND THE WHOLE THING.

- IS ANYBODY A BIGGER HIT IN THIS BUSINESS THAN YOU?

I MEAN... [stammers] IS THERE ANYTHING LEFT THAT DOESN'T HAVE YOUR NAME ON IT?

YOU'VE GOT LUGGAGE.

YOU'VE GOT, UH-- - RUGS, SHEETS, PERFUME, COSMETICS... - REALLY?

- MENSWEAR, WOMEN'S WEAR, SHOES, BAGS, GLOVES, SUNGLASSES, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

- HOLY COW.

YOU WOULDN'T HAVE $20 TILL PAYDAY, WOULD YOU?

I'M A LITTLE SHORT.

- I DID THE OLYMPIC UNIFORMS ALSO FOR OUR TEAMS, UNIFORMS FOR BRANIFF AIRLINES.

I DID THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA.

- THERE WAS TALK EVEN OF DESIGNING A UNIFORM FOR NEW YORK'S FINEST.

- OH, YES.

- DO THESE GARMENTS AND THESE WONDERFUL IDEAS THAT YOU-- YOU AND YOUR COMPANY GENERATE-- DO THEY EVER GET TO PENNEY'S?

[laughter] - IT STARTED OFF, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A GREAT DEAL.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLIONS THEY PAID HIM.

BUT HE ACTUALLY SOLD THE RIGHTS TO HIS NAME.

AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, "OH, I LOVE THE NORTON SIMON PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW WHY I LOVE THEM?

THEY'RE SO TALL."

- [laughs] - AND IT WAS LIKE, DAVID MAHONEY WAS TALL-- THE CHAIRMAN-- BUT DAVID MAHONEY WASN'T THE CHAIRMAN FOREVER.

HALSTON WAS KNOCKED DOWN TO EARTH.

THAT WAS, LIKE, THE LAST PHRASE YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE HALSTON.

HE WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE GLAMOROUS, EVERYTHING TO BE DIVINE.

HE WAS A TAURUS, SO HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DOWN-TO-EARTH THAN HE WAS, BUT... - SO WHAT'D YOU THINK?

- YEAH, IT WENT VERY WELL.

- CONGRATULATIONS.

- WAIT, DO YOU SEE THAT SHOT?

IT'S KIND OF COOL.

- HI, PAUL.

- WHITNEY.

- Smith: IN THE WORLD OF LICENSING, HALSTON WAS A VISIONARY.

SO I WENT TO INTERVIEW PAUL WILMOT WHO RAN HIS PERFUME DIVISION AT THE TIME.

- THEY TRIED THIS BIG EXPERIMENT.

IT WAS A BIG IDEA.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A BIG COMPANY WOULD COME IN AND JUST MAXIMIZE WHAT HIS BUSINESS COULD BE?

SO THEY GOT THE FOOTWEAR AND HANDBAGS AND, UH, CARPETING.

- WHAT KIND OF CARPET?

IT WASN'T SHAG.

IT WAS-- - NO, IT WASN'T SHAG.

IT WASN'T OUT OF "AUSTIN POWERS."

- MY NAME IS HALSTON.

I'M KNOWN FOR THE CLOTHES I DESIGN.

AND JUST AS CLOTHES DRESS A WOMAN, CARPET SHOULD DRESS YOUR HOME.

- BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A NEW THING, EVERYBODY WENT LICENSING HAPPY.

THEY EXPLORED A LOT OF DIFFERENT AVENUES.

- RAYON-- IT'S GOING TO BE WITH US A LONG, LONG TIME.

- SO NOT TO GET AHEAD, WAS IT THE PERFUME THAT KIND OF CARRIED IT?

- THE PERFUME WAS-- WAS ACTUALLY FROM THE MOMENT IT LAUNCHED, IT WAS THE CASH COW.

THE STORY-- IT WAS WELL KNOWN AND IT WAS PART OF THE LORE OF THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY.

SOME WAY, SOMEHOW HALSTON ALSO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF THIS TEARDROP BOTTLE, AND THEY ALSO BROUGHT A TEARDROP TO THE GLASS STOPPER AND EVERYTHING.

IT BECAME, AND IT STILL IS TODAY, AN ICONIC BRAND.

- IT TOOK TWO AND HALF YEARS TO DEVELOP THAT FRAGRANCE, AND THEN MAKING AN ORIGINAL BOTTLE.

ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT WE DID IN THAT WAS NOT PUT OUR NAME ON IT.

THAT WAS NEVER DONE BEFORE.

- HALSTON-- HE DIDN'T LIKE WORDS.

HE DIDN'T WRITE AT ALL.

YOU KNOW, HE ALWAYS USED TO SAY, "WORDS F*** ME UP."

SO THAT'S WHY WE NEVER HAD AN VERBIAGE IN OUR AD CAMPAIGNS.

WE NEVER HAD ANY-- HE DIDN'T LIKE THE WORDS.

SO WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO COMING UP WITH A MEN'S FRAGRANCE THING, HE FOUND TWO THAT HE LIKED.

AND HE COULDN'T MAKE A DECISION BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.

SO HE DECIDED THAT HE WAS GONNA LAUNCH BOTH OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH NO ONE HAD EVER DONE BEFORE.

AND HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT A NAME FOR 'EM, SO THEY HAD WORKING TITLES WITH THE FRAGRANCES, AND THE ONE WORKING TITLE WAS Z-14, AND THE OTHER WAS 1-12.

AND THEY--THEY BECAME THE NAME OF THE FRAGRANCES.

- ONE IS SORT OF THE SEXY, YOU KNOW, SENSUOUS CATEGORY.

ONE IS THE CRèME FRAîCHE CATEGORY.

I THINK IT DEPENDS VERY MUCH UPON THE MAN.

- Z-14 AND 1-12.

- SOUNDS LIKE A CAMARO.

- I KNOW.

IT WAS LIKE A-- IT WAS LIKE A CAR THING.

THIS IS HALSTON AT HIS BEST-- HITTIN' ON ALL CYLINDERS.

Z-14 BECAME AS COMMON A TERM AS CHANEL No5 OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THE HALSTON PERFUME COMPANY BE-BECAME ONE OF THE GREAT SUCCESS STORIES OF THE '70s AND THE '80s.

♪ - AS HALSTON'S EMPIRE KEPT EXPANDING, THE KING NEEDED A CASTLE.

AND THAT CASTLE-- THE OLYMPIC TOWER.

- THE--THE--THE BIG MOMENT WAS WHEN HE MOVED UP TO, YOU KNOW, THE FABULOUS SHOWROOM AND OFFICES AT THE OLYMPIC TOWER.

♪ - HE TOOK THIS ONE, UH, CONTINUOUS SPACE.

IT WAS REALLY ALMOST LIKE AN ATRIUM.

IT WAS ON THE 21st FLOOR, AND THE STUDIO WAS TRISECTED BY TWO SETS OF POCKET-FRAME DOORS THAT SLIPPED INTO THE WALL.

THE DOORS WERE $500,000.

SO IF YOU WANT TO ADJUST TO TODAY, IT WOULD BE LIKE $5 MILLION FOR THE DOORS.

THEY WERE MIRRORED ON BOTH SIDES, AND THE WALLS WERE MIRRORED, SO THE ENTIRE THING REFLECTED AROUND.

- WHY DON'T YOU JUST TURN AROUND A LITTLE BIT, AND LET'S SEE HOW IT MOVES.

YEAH, THAT LOOKS GOOD.

[camera shutter clicks] - IT WAS LIKE BEING IN A GLASS BOX IN A WAY.

IT WAS SO STRANGE.

- OH, I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE MAKEUP.

- WHAT?

TALK ABOUT WHAT?

- ABOUT THE MAKEUP, BECAUSE THIS VIEW IS SOMETHING WE USED TO PUT OUR MAKEUP ON.

THE TWIN TOWERS-- WHEN THE TWIN TOWERS WERE THERE, THAT WAS MY FOCUS POINT.

- WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOUR FOCUS POINT?

- WELL, WHEN I WAS ON THE RUNWAY, I'D ALWAYS LOOK AT THE TWIN TOWERS.

- OH, YEAH?

- YEAH.

HE USED TO CALL ME "THE MOTH"--HALSTON.

THE MOTH, 'CAUSE I WOULD FLY TO THE LIGHT... [laughs] ALL THE TIME.

I SEE A MOTH IN THE WINDOW NOW RIGHT THERE.

IT'S CLIMBING UP.

AND THERE HE GOES.

THAT'S ME.

THAT'S TO REMIND ME.

YOU FEEL REALLY HIGH.

YOU FEEL ABOVE IT ALL, ABOVE ALL THE TORTURE, THE PEDESTRIAN LIFE.

AND BEING CLOSE TO ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, HE ALWAYS USE TO SAY THINGS LIKE, "I FEEL TOTALLY BLESSED.

I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH.

IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET."

- SO HOW'S IT FEEL COMING BACK TO OLYMPIC TOWER?

- IT FEELS KIND OF SPOOKY, LIKE IT'S ANOTHER CENTURY.

IT REALLY IS LITERALLY ANOTHER CENTURY.

- YEAH, THAT LOOKS GOOD, KAREN.

- THIS IS PAT CLEVELAND WHO'S BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH US, AND THIS IS CONNIE COOK WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN DETROIT.

AND... SHE'S FROM THE MIDWEST ALSO.

- WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, SO RIGHT TO THE QUESTIONS NOW.

- YES, I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OF YOUR MODELS EVER HAVE BREASTS.

[laughter] - YES, THEY DO.

YES, THEY ALL DO.

- HE DIDN'T WANT A BUNCH OF BLANK-FACED MODELS.

HE WANTED GIRLS WITH PERSONALITY.

- I WANT, UH, DARKER SKINNED GIRLS, AND I WANT BLONDES AND BRUNETTES AND REDHEADS AND THIS AND THAT, AND THEY-- AND THE BEST GIRL I CAN GET WHO CAN WALK WITH PRIDE, AND THESE ARE THE TOP GIRLS IN AMERICA.

- IT WAS ABOUT ATTITUDE.

IT WAS ABOUT THE WAY YOU WALKED.

IT WAS ABUT CHARACTER.

OR AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO THINK I BROUGHT TO IT.

HE WAS NOT TOTALLY UNIMPRESSED WITH MY PROVENANCE, AND... - [chuckles] - I ALWAYS LIKED TO ACT, SO... - UH-HUH.

- FOR ME, IT WAS FUN TO BE CONFRONTATIONAL.

I USED TO COME OUT AND KIND OF CHALLENGE THE EDITORS, LOOK THEM IN THE EYES, DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T DO.

THE FIRST TIME I DID A SHOW, I REMEMBER GETTING TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

HALSTON ASKED ME TO COME OVER.

AND HE SAID, "I DON'T WANT YOU TO RAISE YOUR ARMS LIKE THAT."

WE DON'T DO THAT IN HALSTON SHOWS.

THE NEXT DAY, THERE WAS A BIG ARTICLE ABOUT ME, I THINK IN THE "CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR."

WITH A BIG PHOTOGRAPH OF ME... - [laughs] - LIKE THIS.

- YEAH.

- AND THEN HALSTON SAID, "THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

DO WHAT YOU WANT."

- YOU CAN DO IT.

[laughs] DID YOU GET ALONG WITH ALL THE GIRLS?

ANY CAT-- CATFIGHTING OR ANYTHING?

- OH, NO, THERE WAS NO CATFIGHTING EVER.

WE WERE LIKE A CLAN.

AT SOME POINT, SOMEBODY CALLED US "THE HALSTONETTES," AND SO WE HAPPILY BECAME THE HALSTONETTES.

- THEY CALL THEM HALSTONETTES.

- WELL, I THINK SOME PEOPLE DO.

WOMEN'S WEAR DOES THAT SOMETIMES.

- DO THEY?

- "THE ULTRA-ETTES."

I-I CALLED THEM THE ULTRA-ETTES OR THE HALSTONETTES.

- YOU COINED THAT PHRASE, THOUGH.

- I COINED THAT PHRASE IN "INTERVIEW" MAGAZINE AND-- THANK GOD YOU'VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK ON THAT.

THEY, UM, BECAUSE THEY MOVED AROUND IN A PACK, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE RAT PACK IN HOLLYWOOD.

THEY MOVED AROUND EN MASSE LIKE THE COURTS OF EUROPE, LIKE THE PEOPLE AT VERSAILLES MOVED EN MASSE FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER.

HALSTON WENT WITH HIS ENTOURAGE EVERYWHERE.

- WHEN YOU THINK OF ENTOURAGE, YOU THINK OF-- I THINK OF TWO DESIGNERS.

YOU THINK OF SAINT LAURENT, AND YOU THINK OF HALSTON.

- I THINK HE ALWAYS HAD THAT GREAT WORLD AROUND HIM, YOU KNOW?

AND THEN HE CAME HERE-- HE CAME HERE.

SOMEBODY GAVE A PARTY FOR HIM HERE, AND THERE WAS A RECEPTION COMMITTEE AT THE DOOR, AND SOMEBODY SAID TO-- I THINK IT WAS PRINCE RUPERT LOWENSTEIN-- "THIS IS HALSTON," AND IT'S SO LIKE A BUTLER'S NAME, THAT RUPERT LOWENSTEIN TOOK OFF HIS COAT AND SAID, "THANK YOU, HALSTON," AND GAVE IT TO HIM.

- [laughs] HOW DID HALSTON REACT?

- ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHED.

- [laughs] - HE DROPPED THE COAT IMMEDIATELY, I THINK, AND SHOOK HANDS WITH PRINCESS MARGARET.

- [laughs] - "THANK YOU, HALSTON," BECAME A SORT OF PHRASE WE USED ALL THE TIME FROM THEN ON WHEN-- IF WE SAW HIM OUT, WE'D SAY, "THANK YOU, HALSTON."

- [laughs] - ARE YOU FAMOUS?

- OH, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY SO.

I GUESS I'M A KNOWN PERSONALITY.

- SO THAT MAKES YOU FAMOUS?

- I GUESS SO.

[upbeat music] ♪ [indistinct conversation] - THERE WAS THIS BIG EVENT IN ACAPULCO.

BRANIFF AIRLINES HAD ASKED HALSTON TO DESIGN THE STEWARDESS' UNIFORMS AND THE INTERIORS OF BRANIFF AIRLINES' NEW PLANES.

AND THEY DID THIS HUGE PROMOTION.

THEY FLEW A COUPLE OF HUNDRED SOCIALITES DOWN TO ACAPULCO.

LADY BIRD JOHNSON WAS THERE.

THE KISSINGERS WERE THERE, SAO SCHLUMBERGER FROM PARIS, LIKE A VILLAGE OF SOCIALITES ALL COMPETING.

HALSTON WAS THERE WITH ABOUT 20 MODELS.

THEY WOULD ALWAYS BE LATE.

AND IF IT WAS A LUNCH ON THE BEACH, THE WOULD ARRIVE AN HOUR LATE ON SOME YACHT AND THEY'D ALL FILE OFF.

THEY WOULD ALL BE IN BLUE.

THEN THAT NIGHT, THEY'D COME FILING IN TO SOME DINNER ALL IN RED.

I MEAN, HE WAS JUST ONE DRAMATIC ENTRANCE AFTER ANOTHER.

[ship horn blows] - HEY, WHO'S THAT LUCKY GUY?

- HOW DO YOU DO?

I'M HALSTON.

- I'M HAPPY TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

DID YOU KNOW THAT HALSTON IS THE FIRST AMERICAN DESIGNER TO BRING HIGH FASHION TO MAINLAND CHINA?

- YES, EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, IT IS GOOD TO GET OUT OF THE OFFICE.

[laughter] - I CERTAINLY LIKE THE WAY YOU TRAVEL.

- YOU PACK THE SAME WAY I DO-- ONLY TAKE WHAT YOU NEED.

- JUST THE BARE ESSENTIALS.

[laughter] - MMM, BUTTER.

[fanfare plays] - IT'S NOT BUTTER.

- ♪ UH-OH, SERGIO ♪ THE JEANS TO WEAR ♪ ANYTIME, ANYWHERE ♪ UH-OH, SERGIO - HI, I'M NANCY TALBOT FROM BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GOOD MORNING, AMERICA!

- GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

IT'S THURSDAY.

IT'S THE 2nd OF OCTOBER.

HALSTON HAS JUST COME BACK FROM EIGHT DAYS IN CHINA.

UH, HE PRESENTED THE FIRST AMERICAN FASHION SHOW TO THE CHINESE, AND HALSTON'S WITH US THIS MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

- THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING.

- EVERYONE HAD THEIR OWN SET OF LUGGAGE AS A GIFT.

HE WAS USING THE NEW FABRIC ULTRASUEDE ON EVERYTHING.

WE ALL HAD AN ENTIRE WARDROBE, AND WE HAD A SCHEDULE.

IT SAID WHAT YOU WORE AT WHAT HOUR.

WE CHANGED CLOTHES AT LEAST FIVE TIMES A DAY.

- IT WAS LIKE, WHAT, 1980?

- IT WAS CLOSED, YEAH.

- YEAH, IT WAS CLOSED THEN.

- IT WAS NOT A THING THAT YOU COULD DO SO EASILY.

- WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP?

- YOU KNOW, WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE TRADE WITH CHINA AND VISIT ALL THE, UH, SILK FACTORIES.

- OH, YEAH?

- IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AT THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T OPEN UP.

YES, YOU WOULD DESIGN SOMETHING FOR IT.

IS IT THAT COMPLICATED TO CHANGE THE PATTERNS?

IS THAT POSSIBLE?

THE FORMALITIES SURPRISED ME A BIT.

THEY'RE VERY SHY, AND THEIR--THEIR CULTURE DOESN'T PERMIT THEM TO BE AS OPEN AS WE ARE AS AMERICANS.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, ONE OF THE GIRLS STOOD UP, AND SHE WALKED AROUND, AND THEY STARTED LOOKING AT IT.

AND THEN ANOTHER ONE WALKED UP, SO I'VE GOT ALL THESE ASSISTANTS TO BRING EVERYTHING IN, AND THEY WERE LIKE CHILDREN WITH NEW TOYS.

IT WAS JUST BEDLAM.

- IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE BREAKTHROUGH.

- I CONSIDERED IT A GREAT COMPLIMENT THAT SHE WANTED TO PUT IT ON.

- HE MET WITH ALL THE TOP BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND THEY WERE ALL DRESSED ALIKE IN GRAY UNIFORM.

IT WAS VERY MUCH PART OF BEING WHO HE WAS-- AN AMERICAN.

HE WENT TO CHINA FOR AMERICA.

HE WENT TO VERSAILLES FOR AMERICA.

HE DID EVERYTHING FOR AMERICA.

DID YOU MEET HIM?

- NO, UNH-UNH.

- HAVE YOU MET HIM?

KIND OF--HE LOOKED KIND OF LIKE YOU.

[laughs] - HE LOOKS LIKE ME?

- YEAH, KIND OF LIKE YOU, YOU KNOW?

- HOW IS THAT?

- WELL, IN A BLACK SUIT-- HE ALWAYS WORE BLACK.

HE HAD KIND OF LONGISH HAIR LIKE THAT, UH... - MM-HMM.

THAT'S GOOD.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THAT'S... - AND HE ALWAYS WORE A TURTLENECK.

[dramatic music] ♪ - Smith: STANDING IN FRONT OF HALSTON'S HOUSE, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE TO BE AT THE HEIGHT OF IT ALL, KING OF NEW YORK.

[buzzes intercom] [dramatic music] ♪ - OH, MY GOD.

- HI.

SORRY.

WE GOT POURED ON.

YEAH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

- OH, OKAY.

UH, HE'S STILL WAITING FOR... - I HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING THE ONLY CONTEMPORARY HOUSE IN NEW YORK CITY BUILT SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR, WHICH IS A REALLY SUPERMODERN PUSH-BUTTON LIFE KIND OF HOUSE.

IT HAS A 30-FOOT-HIGH CEILING, AND A 60-FOOT-LONG SITTING ROOM, AND A BIG FIREPLACE.

AT THE END OF IT IS A BIG BAMBOO GREENHOUSE AND SO FORTH.

IT'S A DREAM REALLY.

- HI.

I'VE SEEN A PHOTOGRAPH OF YOUR APARTMENT, YOUR LIVING ROOM, AND IT WAS DONE IN MONOCHROMATIC GRAYS.

DID YOU DESIGN THAT?

- I DIDN'T DESIGN THE HOUSE.

IT'S A MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL HOUSE DESIGNED BY PAUL RUDOLPH, WHO'S ONE OF THE GREAT AMERICAN ARCHITECTS.

BUT THE GRAY IS MY IDEA, YES.

IT JUST--IT BRINGS PEOPLE OUT.

- SO WOULD THE DINNER PARTIES BE HERE OR-- - DINNER PARTIES WOULD BE HERE IF IT WAS SMALL OR A BUFFET.

AND YOU WENT TO SIT ALL OVER THE ROOM WHERE--WHEREVER YOU CHOSE FROM.

- Smith: ANYONE WHO'S ANYONE WAS IN HALSTON'S LIVING ROOM, AND NO ONE WAS MORE ON THE SCENE THAN BOAZ MAZOR, WHO AGREED TO MEET US HERE.

YOU THINK THOSE COUCHES ARE ORIGINAL FROM THE HALSTON TIME?

'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF HIS GRAY MONOCHROME.

- YOU KNOW SOMETHING?

IT'S VERY FUNNY, BECAUSE THEY WERE MORE OR LESS LIKE THAT.

IT'S VERY MUCH CHARACTERISTIC TO WHAT WE WOULD SIT DOWN ON.

IT WAS VERY LOW, VERY LOW LIGHTING, CANDLES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

- CANDLES?

- YEAH.

AND THAT PLACE THERE WERE YOU SEE ALL THESE TREES... - MM-HMM.

- WAS THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ORCHIDS.

THE DEATH TRAP, OF COURSE, WAS THIS STAIRCASE.

I MEAN, IF YOU WERE A LITTLE BIT TOO DRUNK OR TOO HIGH... - MM-HMM.

- YOU MIGHT HAVE NOT FINISHED THE NIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A LAWSUIT THOSE DAYS AGAINST SOMEBODY.

- [laughs] - BUT I THINK THAT IF MY... - Smith: WHAT FIRST INTRIGUED ME ABOUT HALSTON WERE STORIES OF THE LEGENDARY DINNER PARTIES HE USED TO GIVE, ALL THESE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE REVELING IN THE LAST THROWS OF DECADENCE-- YVES SAINT LAURENT, BEATTY, BACALL.

WHEN THE CURRENT OWNER BOUGHT THE HOUSE FROM HALSTON'S ESTATE... SALVADOR DALí.

HE KEPT THESE WARHOL POLAROIDS HANGING RIGHT HERE.

MISS LIZ'S BIRTHDAY WITH PROBABLY BETTY FORD SOMEWHERE.

A BRILLIANT MONUMENT TO A LOST ERA.

DEFINITELY GET BIANCA JAGGER SHAVING HER ARMPIT THERE.

THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF HISTORY.

- JACKIE O. DISCOING AT 54.

THERE'S BOB COLACELLO AND TRUMAN CAPOTE.

BOAZ, SO TELL ME THE STORY BEHIND THIS PICTURE.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

- WELL, THIS WAS--HERE I AM, YOUNG BOY, ALL EAGER TO GO OUT.

AS YOU CAN SEE, AT THIS POINT, I DIDN'T EVEN OWN A LEATHER JACKET, TO MY SURPRISE.

PHILIP NIARCHOS WAS A HOLDING A CIGARETTE.

I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT IT WAS A JOINT.

THEY AIRBRUSHED A WHOLE REAL CIGARETTE LONGER.

I DON'T THINK THIS WAS AS LONG.

IT WAS MUCH SHORTER.

SO THIS WAS A GROUP OUT ON THE TOWN TO... TO CONQUER THE CITY.

[laughs] IT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME.

- WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE COMING BACK HERE?

IS IT LIKE... - NO, IT'S VERY-- - BRING BACK OLD MEMORIES... - OH, YES.

OH, YES.

- OR IS IT LIKE A DIFFERENT... - WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIFE IS GONE, AND WE HAVE--HAVE-- OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN REPLACE HALSTON.

- YEAH.

- THERE WAS ENORMOUS ENERGY THERE.

- MM-HMM.

- THERE WAS ENORMOUS ENERGY ALL OVER NEW YORK.

- WELL, HOW DO WE GET IT BACK?

- OH, NOTHING COMES BACK.

- REALLY?

- NOTHING COMES BACK.

- SO YOU THINK THAT'S IT?

- I THINK WE--WE LIVED IN A VERY EXCLUSIVE MOMENT.

- YEAH, I THINK SO.

YEAH.

- I REALLY DO.

- DID YOU EVER GO TO SOME OF THE DINNER PARTIES THERE?

- MM-HMM.

[laughs] - WHAT, YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT, EITHER?

[laughs] - NO.

YOU CAN'T.

- REALLY?

WELL, IT MUST HAVE BEEN FUN, THOUGH.

- FUN'S THE WORD.

- [laughs] - IT WAS ALL PART OF THAT HALSTON MOMENT.

- YOU SAID, "WHEN HEDONISM WAS CHIC."

- WHEN HEDONISM WAS CHIC.

- REALLY?

- IT'S NOT--IT WASN'T ABOUT THE FOOD.

- NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

IT'S ABOUT THE--ABOUT THE CLOTHES.

- NO, IT WASN'T ABOUT THE CLOTHES AT A DINNER PARTY.

- I WAS JUST KIDDING.

- TURN THAT OFF.

- Smith: SO HALSTON HAD THIS BOYFRIEND AROUND FOR THE LONGEST TIME CALLED VICTOR HUGO.

- VICTOR HUGO WAS SO BAD-- YOU KNOW, THE PAINTER FRIEND.

- VICTOR HUGO, WHO WAS CRAZY AS A BEDBUG.

- WHAT WAS UP WITH VICTOR HUGO?

- OH, HE WAS JUST AS BAD AS BAD CAN BE.

- WHAT DOES HE DO?

HE'S AN ARTIST, YOU KNOW.

I NEVER KNEW IF HE SOLD ANYTHING.

- VICTOR HUGO WAS LIKE THE CLASSIC COURT JESTER.

- Smith: NO ONE PERSONIFIED HALSTON'S CRAZY ENERGY MORE THAN VICTOR HUGO, HIS LOVER AND ALTER EGO.

AND I WAS ABOUT TO MEET ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM BEST-- '70s SURVIVOR MING VAUZE.

- HEY, HOW ARE YOU?

- SO VICTOR HUGO-- WHAT WAS HIS ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HALSTON?

I MEAN, WHAT WAS THERE-- WHAT WAS THE DYNAMIC?

- UH, WELL, UH, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S, UH, IT'S TEMPESTUOUS, BUT IT'S ALSO LOVE.

IT'S TWO DYNAMIC PERSONALITIES.

ROY HALSTON FROWICK IS A MIDWESTERN BOY FROM INDIANA, AND VICTOR HUGO IS FROM CARACAS, VENEZUELA, AND HE CAME HERE ACTUALLY-- - WAIT.

WHAT'S HIS REAL NAME-- VICTOR HUGO'S REAL NAME?

- VICTOR HUGO ROJAS-- R-O-J-A-S. - SO IT WASN'T AFTER THE--THE FRENCH AUTHOR?

- IN A WAY.

- YEAH?

- I THINK HE LIKES THAT CONFUSION.

PEOPLE GO, "OH, YOU'RE VICTOR HUGO, THE WRITER?"

- IT'S ALSO A PLAY ON WORDS, BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY, HE HAD ONE OF THE HUGE-- - EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

- YOU KNOW, O-OKAY.

SO LET ME ASK, WHO WAS MING VAUZE?

- THAT WAS ME.

- WAS THAT YOUR NOM de PLUME, NOM de GUERRE?

- THAT WAS ACTUALLY A VICTOR CREATION.

- WAS IT?

- HE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED ME.

"WHY DON'T YOU GET ONSTAGE AND DO SOME LIP-SYNCHING FOR FUN?"

- OH, YEAH.

- SO I SAID, "WHAT STAGE NAME SHOULD I HAVE?"

AND HE GAVE ME MISS MING VAUZE.

BUT THE VAUZE IS V-A-U-Z-E.

HE CLAIMED IT'S THE PUERTO RICAN WAY OF SPELLING THAT.

THAT WAS PROBABLY 1978, '79.

- OKAY.

SO HE WAS JUST, LIKE, HITTING HIS STRIDE THEN--VICTOR?

- HE WAS ON THE HEIGHT OF THAT, YEAH.

EVERY PICTURE OF THE HALSTON GROUP, YOU'LL SEE HIM IN THERE, AND ALSO HIS WINDOWS ARE GETTING VERY FAMOUS.

- YEAH, WHAT KIND OF WINDOWS WAS HE DOING WITH HALSTON?

- LIKE, HE WOULD DO A WINDOW OF A WOMAN GIVING BIRTH, BUT IT'S OVER A COURSE OF SEVEN DAYS.

LIKE, HE CHANGES THE WINDOW EVERY DAY A LITTLE BIT... - MM-HMM.

- UNTIL, THE LAST DAY, IT GAVE BIRTH.

[dance music] ♪ - ALL HIS REFERENCES ARE KIND OF LIKE SURREAL AND RELATED TO CHILDHOOD.

I THINK THAT'S VERY PRIMITIVE.

- INTERESTING.

- HI, MY NAME IS VICTOR HUGO.

JE M'APPELLE EST VICTOR HUGO.

I'M HERE BECAUSE, UM, I WAS A GREAT FRIEND OF ANDY.

- WHAT WAS ANDY'S APPEAL OR WHAT WAS HIS FASCINATION WITH VICTOR?

- ANDY REALLY LIKES VICTOR A LOT.

HE HAS THAT EDGE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TODAY.

HE WOULD BE HELPING ANDY WITH THE SEX PARTS, THE SERIOUS SEX PARTS.

- WHAT WAS THAT?

- TITS, ASS, C***, AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.

- WHAT WAS THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS THING HE EVER DID?

- I REMEMBER, LIKE, HE WANTED TO DO CHICKEN ART.

HE PUT RED PAINT UNDERNEATH, UH, ON THE CHICKEN'S PAWS AND THEN HAVE THEM WALK ALL OVER BLANK CANVASES.

IT WAS THE BIGGEST MESS.

- DIDN'T HE M****** INTO A CHICKEN ON LIVE TV?

- PROBABLY HE DID.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT PART.

- IT WAS, LIKE, SOME FAKE CHICKEN HE BROUGHT OUT AND I GUESS STARTED J***ING OFF INTO IT.

- [laughs] - HOW CLOSE WERE YOU TO HALSTON?

- AS--AS CLOSE AS TO HAVING MY OWN BEDROOM BETWEEN THE TWO IN MONTAUK FOR TWO SUMMERS.

- THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE.

- [laughs] - THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME STORIES BEHIND THAT.

- YEAH.

WELL, THOSE STORIES SHOULD JUST GO TO GRAVE.

I THINK THEY'RE--THEY'RE-- DON'T YOU THINK?

THAT'S BETTER SOMETIMES.

- THAT MAKES SENSE, YEAH.

- [laughs] - OH, THANK YOU.

- GREAT.

THANKS AGAIN.

NICE MEETING YOU.

- A PLEASURE.

- YOU KNOW HALSTON, THE BIG DESIGNER?

- MM-HMM.

- HIS SEAMSTRESS WAS HERE THE OTHER NIGHT WITH CALVIN KLEIN'S CHAUFFEUR.

LOTS OF BIGGIES!

[The Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men" playing] - WE'RE YOUR WEATHER GIRLS.

♪ FOR THE FIRST TIME ♪ IN HISTORY ♪ IT'S GONNA START ♪ RAINING MEN ♪ IT'S RAINING MEN ♪ HALLELUJAH ♪ IT'S RAINING MEN ♪ AMEN ♪ I'M GONNA GO OUT - Smith: I WONDERED IF HALSTON'S MINIMALIST DESIGNS WERE SOME KIND OF REACTION TO THE INSANITY AROUND HIM.

I NEEDED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE DARK SIDE OF NEW YORK IN THE '70s, AND THIS IDEA THAT ROME WAS BURNING.

[Mendelssohn's "Wedding March from 'Lohengrin'" playing] ♪ - COULD YOU DO "IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA"?

- OH, THAT'S, UH... [playing "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"] ♪ [engine revs] - THAT'S SOME JUICE.

[laughs] - YEP.

THAT'S MY NEW BABY.

- SO IN YOUR SONG "BIG SHOT," YOU MENTION HALSTON.

WAS THAT KIND OF LIKE YOUR REACTION AGAINST DISCO, OR HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

- "THEY WERE ALL IMPRESSED WITH YOUR HALSTON DRESS, AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNEW AT ELAINE'S."

WELL, HALSTON WAS THE BIG NAME IN NEW YORK.

EVEN I KNEW WHO HALSTON WAS, AND I--BELIEVE ME, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THAT S***.

- YEAH.

- HE WAS AT STUDIO 54.

HE WAS HANGING OUT WITH THAT DISCO CROWD.

UM, HE WAS ALWAYS WHERE THE SCENE WAS.

♪ WELL, YOU WENT UPTOWN ♪ RIDING IN YOUR LIMOUSINE ♪ WITH YOUR ♪ FINE PARK AVENUE CLOTHES ♪ YOU HAD THE DOM PéRIGNON ♪ IN YOUR HAND ♪ AND THE SPOON UP YOUR NOSE ♪ AND THEY WERE ALL IMPRESSED ♪ WITH YOUR HALSTON DRESS ♪ AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNEW ♪ AT ELAINE'S ♪ AND THE STORY ♪ OF YOUR LATEST SUCCESS ♪ KEPT 'EM SO ENTERTAINED ♪ NO, NO, NO ♪ YOU HAD TO BE A BIG SHOT ♪ DIDN'T YOU?

- SO GIVE US A SENSE OF, LIKE, NEW YORK '70s.

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE LIVING IN-- - WELL, IN--IN NEW YORK, ESPECIALLY, THERE WAS A SENSE OF POTENTIAL IMPENDING DISASTER.

THE CRIME RATE WAS HIGH, DRUGS BEING DEALT RIGHT OUT THERE IN THE STREET, A LOT OF PROSTITUTION.

WE HAD JUST ENDED THE WAR IN VIETNAM.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THE-- THE NIXON DEBACLE.

UH, EVERYBODY WAS CYNICAL.

THERE WAS A BLACKOUT.

I THINK IT WAS IN '77.

I WAS IN LINCOLN CENTER AT PHILHARMONIC HALL.

WE WERE WATCHING BOZ SCAGGS.

- [laughs] - AND WE'RE SITTING THERE, AND HE'S DOING... ♪ LIDO, WHOA, OH OH AND THE WHOLE THING JUST DIES.

IT WAS JUST CHAOS.

I MEAN, CARS WERE PILING UP.

PEOPLE STARTED DIRECTING TRAFFIC IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS.

S*** HIT THE FAN.

IT WAS A SENSE OF IMPENDING DOOM.

- SO WOULD YOU SAY, LIKE, THE REACTION WAS TO KIND OF HAVE FUN-- DISCO, SEX, DRUGS, EVERYTHING?

- THERE WAS A LOT OF THAT, ABSOLUTELY.

IT WAS--IT WAS LIKE A BIG PARTY.

YOU KNOW, THEY--THEY TALK ABOUT THE STORIES OF HITLER'S BUNKER AT THE END OF THE WAR.

EVERYBODY WAS DRINKING CHAMPAGNE.

EVERYBODY WAS BOPPIN' EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE BUNKER... - YEAH.

- BECAUSE THE--THE RUSSIANS WERE GONNA COME ANY SECOND.

- YEAH.

- WELL, THERE WAS A SENSE OF THAT IN NEW YORK.

IT WAS JUST EVERYTHING WAS OVER THE TOP AND EXCESSIVE.

[disco music] ♪ [voices overlapping] - DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

EVERY NIGHT, RAIN OR SNOW, THESE FRANTIC NIGHT PEOPLE STAND HERE FOR HOURS WAVING AND YELLING, "ME!

ME!

CHOSE ME!"

WELL, WE'RE AT THE MOST FAMOUS DISCO IN THE COUNTRY-- OF COURSE IT'S NEW YORK'S STUDIO 54.

AND THIS GUY RIGHT HERE IS STUDIO 54's OWNER STEVE RUBELL.

HE'S THE MAN WHO DECIDES.

THEY ALL WAIT FOR HIS GOLDEN TOUCH, THAT MAGIC HAND THAT WILL LET THEM THROUGH THAT VELVET ROPE, THE TOUCH THAT MEANS, "YOU'VE MADE IT.

YOU'VE BEEN ACCEPTED."

- STEVE RUBELL HAD OPENED THIS CLUB.

HALSTON HAD BEEN INVITED TO THE OPENING OF IT, AND HE WENT AND LOOKED AROUND AND IT WAS THE OLD ED SULLIVAN THEATER.

HE SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M GONNA GIVE BIANCA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY HERE."

HE DID THAT, AND IT GOT THE PLACE PUBLICITY.

- EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE $10 FEE, YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED ADMISSION.

AND IF STEVE DOESN'T LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK, YOU'LL NEVER GET IN.

- I MOVED TO NEW YORK IN AUGUST OF '77.

- HI.

SEEING JIM MOORE.

- IT WAS THE SUMMER OF-- THE SUMMER OF SAM.

- I PREFER "TEEN VOGUE."

- IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A MONTH AFTER THE BLACKOUT.

YOUR BADGE OF MERIT WAS TO GET MUGGED.

IT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NEW YORK.

I DID HAVE FRIENDS THAT LOVED GOING TO STUDIO 54.

I'D BE DOING MY SCHOOLWORK, AND THEY WOULD TAKE THE PEN OUT OF MY HAND AND SAY, "COME ON, LET'S GO."

SO WE WOULD GO THREE NIGHTS A WEEK, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE, WHEN YOU PULL UP IN YOUR TAXI, YOU'VE GOT TWO MINUTES TO GET IN, BECAUSE IF THEY START RECOGNIZING YOUR FACE, THEN YOU'RE KIND OF LIKE THE LOSER, YOU KNOW, WHO'S, LIKE, WAITING IN THE CROWD.

- YEAH.

- I JUST, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER LOOKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, AGAIN, ALL KIND OF IN SLOW MOTION AND SEEING, LIKE, GIRLS SHIVERING IN STRAPLESS DRESSES, THIS FRIZZY HAIR, AND YOU JUST KNEW THEY HAD BEEN THERE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

- YEAH.

- YOU JUST WANTED TO TELL THEM ALL TO GO HOME, YOU KNOW?

THE WHOLE THING WAS SO EVIL.

YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES, I WOULD BE IN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, AND I WOULD COME OUT, AND I WOULD STILL SEE THAT SAME GIRL SHIVERING IN HER STRAPLESS DRESS.

- WE WENT THERE, AND PEOPLE WERE SO BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED, AT LEAST IN THE SUMMER.

IF YOU WENT TO A DISCOTHEQUE NOW, IT'S SHAKE IT TO MAKE IT.

THEN YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN DRESSED.

- TONIGHT HAPPENED TO BE LIZA'S BIRTHDAY, AND EVERYBODY WAS THERE TO CELEBRATE FROM TRUMAN CAPOTE TO ANDY WARHOL.

AND A HOST OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK'S BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WERE DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY.

AND, OF COURSE, HALSTON BLESSED AND DRESSED THEM ALL.

- THE THING ABOUT HALSTON AND ANDY WARHOL AND OTHERS LIKE THAT IS THEY STOOD OUT.

YOU WANTED TO KNOW WHO THEY WERE.

- YEAH.

- WHO--WHO IS THAT?

YOU DIDN'T NECESSARILY HEAR ABOUT THEM FIRST.

YOU SAW THEM AND WENT, "WHO IS THAT PERSON?"

I WAS A KID, AND I HAD A JOB AS A PHOTOGRAPHER GOING OUT TO PARTIES.

I USED TO MAKE A WHOLE $3 A PHOTOGRAPH.

HALSTON HAD SUCH AMAZING SORT OF PRESENCE.

HE LOOKED LARGER THAN LIFE TO ME.

HE LIKED HAVING BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AROUND HIM.

IT ALL BECAME ONE BIG NICHE.

[speaks indistinctly] ♪ PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC ♪ PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC ♪ PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC RIGHT ♪ PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC ♪ PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC ♪ LAY DOWN THE BOOGIE ♪ AND PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC ♪ TILL YOU DIE ♪ TILL YOU DIE ♪ WHOA ♪ TILL YOU DIE ♪ GONNA PLAY SOME ELECTRIFIED ♪ FUNKY MUSIC - YOU FEEL IT.

I MEAN, THE EXCITEMENT OF THE PROPS COMING DOWN AND THE--THE BALCONY-- IT'S JUST EXCITING.

IT'S WHERE YOU COME WHEN YOU WANT TO ESCAPE.

IT'S--IT'S REALLY ESCAPISM.

♪ OH, WHAT, WOW ♪ HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER ♪ A CHAMPION OF DANCE ♪ HIS MOVES WILL PUT YOU ♪ IN A TRANCE ♪ AND HE NEVER LEAVES ♪ THE DISCO ALONE - "A CHAMPION OF DANCE, HIS MOVES WILL PUT YOU IN A TRANCE, AND HE NEVER LEAVES THE DISCO ALONE.

ARROGANT, BUT NOT CONCEITED, AS A MAN, HE'S COMPLETE.

MY CRèME de la CRME, PLEASE TAKE ME HOME.

HE WEARS THE FINEST CLOTHES, THE BEST DESIGNERS, HEAVEN KNOWS, OOH, FROM HIS HEAD DOWN TO HIS TOES.

HALSTON, GUCCI, FIORUCCI."

- [laughing] - WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING THAT WE COULD HAVE RHYMED.

YOU KNOW, TO US HALSTON WAS THE ULTIMATE COOL GUY... - SURE.

- THAT SORT OF REPRESENTED THIS MYTHICAL PERSON THAT WE WERE TRYING TO PAINT IN THE SONG.

IT'S FUNNY HOW, UH, WE WERE REALLY MARRIED TO THAT PLACE.

GRACE JONES HAD INVITED US TO SEE HER NEW YEAR'S EVE SHOW AT STUDIO 54.

SO SHE SAYS, "OH, DARLING, NILE, WHY DON'T YOU AND 'NARD COME OVER, 'CAUSE I'D LOVE YOU TO PRODUCE MY NEXT ALBUM, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

I LOVE YOU."

IT'S LIKE, "ALL RIGHT, COOL, GRACE, PUT OUR NAMES ON THE LIST."

- MM-HMM.

- OF COURSE, IF YOU KNOW GRACE, MAKING A PLAN WITH GRACE IS LIKE MAKING A PLAN WITH GRACE.

- UH-HUH.

- [laughs] OUR SONG, "DANCE, DANCE, DANCE (YOWSAH, YOWSAH, YOWSAH)" HAD BEEN PUMPIN' INTO THAT PLACE.

- YOWSAH, YOWSAH, YOWSAH.

- ♪ I WANNA BOOGIE WITH YOU - SO I GUESS GRACE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE IN THE INNER CIRCLE, BUT WE WEREN'T.

THEY DIDN'T LET US IN NO MATTER WHAT WE SAID.

WE SAID, "CHECK THE LIST.

WE'RE PERSONAL GUESTS OF GRACE JONES," BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

WE WENT AROUND TO THE BACK DOOR.

SAME DEAL--GUY SAYS, "YOU'RE NOT ON THE LIST.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE CHIC HERE, CHIC S***."

WE WALKED AROUND THE CORNER TO MY APARTMENT AFTER GETTING A COUPLE BOTTLES OF CHAMPAGNE.

AND WE GOT PRETTY LIT, AND WE STARTED JAMMIN'.

[imitating guitar] - [laughing] YEAH.

- F*** OFF.

[imitating guitar] F*** STUDIO 54.

♪ F*** OFF AND THEN 'NARD SAID, "MAN, DO THAT JAZZY S***."

AND I WENT... ♪ OH, F*** OFF ♪ F*** STUDIO 54 BERNARD LOOKS AT ME AND WENT, "YOU KNOW THIS S*** IS HAPPENIN', RIGHT?"

- [laughs] - "YOU KNOW THAT.

YOU KNOW THIS S*** IS HAPPENIN'."

SO I WENT, "BRO, HOW ABOUT..." ♪ FREAK OUT AND BERNARD, MAN, IT WAS JUST A LIGHT BULB WENT OFF OVER HIS HEAD, AND HE WENT, "THAT'S IT..." - UH-HUH.

- "FREAK OUT."

- ♪ OH, FREAK OUT ♪ LE FREAK, C'EST CHIC ♪ FREAK OUT - AND THAT BECAME THE ANTHEM OF STUDIO 54.

♪ NOW FREAK - THERE WERE MANY NIGHTS WHEN BOTH OF US HAD TO WORK THE NEXT DAY.

WHEN WE'D GO IN THE FRONT DOOR, GET EVERYBODY SETTLED, WE'D GO RIGHT OUT THE BACK AND GO HOME.

JUST GO HOME, BECAUSE YOU HAD TO GET UP IN THE MORNING.

- YOU WOULD END UP OUT OF THAT DOOR AT, LIKE, 8:00 OR 9:00 IN THE MORNING.

- OKAY.

- OH, YEAH.

- YEAH.

- HE GAVE US--I REMEMBER, HE'D GIVEN US BLACK SUNGLASSES, LIKE, THESE MIRRORED SUNGLASSES, 'CAUSE WE ALWAYS WOULD STAY OUT TILL, LIKE, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 IN THE MORNING.

- YEAH.

- WELL, HE ALWAYS HAD THESE BIG WINDOWS.

THE SUN WAS ALWAYS COMING IN.

SO HE HAD, YOU KNOW, DARK GLASSES A LOT, YOU KNOW.

- WELL, HOW WILD DID 54 GET?

- IT WASN'T THAT WILD.

- IT WASN'T?

- NO, I MEAN, EVERYBODY LIKES TO MAKE IT THAT WILD, BUT I NEVER SAW ANYTHING.

- COKE AND QUAALUDES.

- COKE AND--LOTS OF QUAALUDES AND LOTS OF COKE.

- LOTS OF LIQUOR.

- DOESN'T QUAALUDE MAKE YOU GO TO SLEEP OR MAKE YOU TIRED?

- NO, 'CAUSE IT BALANCES OUT - OF COURSE, HALSTON PROTECTED ME FROM EVERYTHING.

- SURE, YEAH.

- BUT I MEAN, I NEVER WENT TO THE BALCONY.

WHO WENT TO THE BALCONY?

HE DIDN'T.

- DID YOU TWO GO DOWN THERE?

- THERE WAS, LIKE, ALL THESE LITTLE, UM, CAGES DOWNSTAIRS.

- CAGES?

- PEOPLE WOULD BE DOWN THERE HAVING SEX AND DOING DRUGS.

- AND A LOT OF CELEBRITIES WOULD GO DOWN THERE.

- YEAH, IT WAS SUCH A-- - 'CAUSE YOU COULD DO THE COKE AND THE DRUGS DOWN THERE.

- AND PEOPLE WOULDN'T BE WATCHING.

- WHOEVER WAS UP THERE WAS DOING THEIR OWN THING IT WASN'T MY BUSINESS OR HIS.

- YEAH.

SO IT WASN'T AS GOOD AS PEOPLE SAY IT WAS.

- WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "GOOD"?

- THERE WERE, LIKE, MATTRESSES ON THE FLOOR.

- AND RUGS.

- MATTRESSES?

- OH, YEAH.

- WEREN'T THEY FILTHY, THESE MATTRESSES?

- OH, DISGUSTING.

- FILTHY, DISGUSTING.

- AND THEY'D STILL GET ON 'EM ANYWAY.

- OH, MY GOD, AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD SEE DOWN THERE.

- GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, KIND OF-- YOU KNOW, A LITTLE SEX, HAVE A LITTLE FUN, GET A LITTLE WILD.

I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

- NEVER HAPPENED TO ME.

- WELL, I'M NOT SAYING-- - NEVER HAPPENED TO HIM EITHER.

I WAS WITH HIM.

- MAYBE IT SEEMED REALLY FUN BECAUSE WE WERE ON SO MANY DRUGS.

WE DIDN'T KNOW OTHERWISE.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN... - [laughing] - SO WHAT WAS VICTOR HUGO UP TO DURING 54?

HE WAS A TOTAL FREAK FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.

- HE WAS CRAZY.

- A GOOD CRAZY.

- A GOOD CRAZY.

- A GOOD CRAZY?

- A LOT OF ENERGY, GOOD ENERGY.

- YEAH.

- HE HAD HIS OWN LANGUAGE.

- HE DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

HE HAD HIS OWN LANG-- - SEX ADDICT.

HE WAS A TOTAL SEX ADDICT.

- BUT HE WAS SO OUT THERE.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

HE WOULD BRING US OVER TO HALSTON'S, AND HALSTON WOULD GIVE US CLOTHES TO WEAR AND STUFF.

AND WE WOULD GO OUT ON THE TOWN.

- AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, VICTOR'S TEARING UP YOUR CLOTHES.

- OR SPRAY-PAINT OR THROW PAINT ON YOU OR-- LIKE, HE WOULD BE ON THE DANCE FLOOR OR IN THE CLUB RUNNING UP TO PEOPLE HE DIDN'T KNOW AND TEARING THINGS, 'CAUSE HE WOULD THINK THAT WAS ART.

- THESE ARE VICTOR'S SHOES THAT HE SCULPTED.

- YOU MENTIONED ABOUT TRUMAN CAPOTE... - I CALLED HIM A QUEEN.

- YOU DID?

- YEAH.

HE ACTUALLY SLAPPED ME.

- HE DID?

- HE SAID, "YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A W***."

- IT WAS HIS FACE-LIFT PARTY.

- YEAH, IT WAS HIS FACE-LIFT PARTY.

HE'D JUST HAD A FACE-LIFT.

- A FACE-LIFT PARTY?

- THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

AND TRUMAN DIDN'T WANT ME TO COME IN.

[imitating Capote] "NOT UNTIL HE APOLOGIZES."

[normal voice] YOU KNOW, LIKE... - [laughing] - AND I HAD TO KISS HIS ASS.

- WELL, WHY WOULD HE THROW A PARTY FOR A FACE-LIFT?

- 'CAUSE HE WANTED EVERYONE TO SEE WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE AFTERWARDS.

- WHAT DID HE LOOK LIKE?

- I DON'T REMEMBER.

I WAS ON DRUGS.

AND EVERYONE THERE WAS ON DRUGS.

- A LOT OF THAT TIME HAS MADE MY CAREER WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE I WAS EXPOSED TO THAT AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE.

I WAS A BUSBOY AT STUDIO 54... - OH, REALLY?

- EARLY ON, YEAH.

DAVID LaCHAPELLE AND I WERE BOTH BUSBOYS THERE.

- OH, I'M SO SORRY.

- HAVE YOU NOTICED THE CAMERA?

THAT'S COOL.

I WOULD LIKE YOU IF YOU WALKED AWAY.

- HOW CRAZY WAS IT THEN?

- IT WAS INSANE.

IT WAS BANANAS.

IT WAS JUST BANANAS.

- WHAT WAS THE MOST, LIKE, F***ED-UP THING YOU SAW THERE?

- UM... [laughs] IT WAS--I DON'T REMEMBER THE--THE MASSIVENESS, I REMEMBER THE OPULENCE.

I REMEMBER THE PARTIES.

NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH 6 INCHES OF GLITTER ON THE GROUND.

AND SO FOR DAYS AFTER YOU SAW THE GLITTER ON THE STREETS.

THERE WILL NEVER BE ANYTHING LIKE STUDIO 54 AGAIN.

IT'S JUST FOREVER HERE AND HERE.

- WE'RE HERE AT BRYANT PARK, FASHION WEEK, WHERE EDITORS COME AND LOOK AT THE LATEST FASHIONS AND STYLES, BUYERS SEE WHAT THEY WANT, AND DUDES LIKE ME COME TO CHECK OUT THE MODELS.

COME ON IN.

LET'S HAVE A LOOK.

[disco music] ♪ - OH, MAMA.

WHO IS THAT?

EXCUSE ME.

WHO WAS THAT?

- KELLY ROWLAND FROM DESTINY'S CHILD.

- HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?

- HALSTON--HE LIVED IN THE AGE OF REALLY LIVING.

NOWADAYS EVERYBODY WORRIES TOO MUCH ABOUT BEING COMMERCIALLY VIABLE AS OPPOSED TO THINKING DIFFERENTLY.

- I'M LOOKING FOR HALSTON THESE DAYS.

- ARE YOU?

- YEAH.

I MISS HIM.

- HALSTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAJOR INSPIRATION TO ME.

DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE PIECES?

- THAT'S OKAY.

- OKAY, I DON'T MIND.

- DID YOU EVER GET ANY HALSTONS ON "SEX AND THE CITY"?

- I DID, I DID.

- YEAH?

- I PUT, UH, SARAH JESSICA IN A HALSTON WHEN SHE WAS GOING OUT WITH THE POLITICIAN.

- OH, YEAH?

- SO WE HAD A LITTLE PLAY ON JACKIE O.

- ALL RIGHT.

[laughs] ♪ - HEY, NAEEM, GREAT SHOW.

HOW ARE YOU?

- GOOD TO SEE YOU.

- GOOD TO SEE YOU.

- GOOD.

IT'S A DRESS, RIGHT?

THIS IS A... [speaking indistinctly] THE WAY IT ALL WRAPS AROUND, ONE HALSTON WOULD BE PROUD OF.

IN THE MOOD OF HALSTON, WE HAVE TO HAVE A DRINK.

- OKAY, ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S SO NICE, THANK YOU.

- WE LIVE IN THE HALSTON WAY.

IF YOU DON'T LIVE IT, YOU DON'T FEEL IT.

WELL, CHEERS, GUYS, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

- CHEERS, THANK YOU.

- CHEERS.

- YOU'RE WELCOME.

- I'LL SECOND THAT.

- I THINK THIS IS MY FAVORITE INTERVIEW SO FAR.

- MY FATHER CAME HERE TO DO BUSINESS WITH HALSTON.

MY FAMILY IN INDIA MAKES EMBROIDERIES AND BEADING.

IT'S A 3-GENERATION-OLD BUSINESS.

HALSTON SAID TO ME, "WHY DON'T YOU WORK FOR ME?"

- THE BEST EDUCATION.

- HE SAID, "THIS IS THE BEST.

I'LL TEACH YOU EVERYTHING."

SO I GOT ON THE PLANE, AND I CAME TO AMERICA.

AND I BECAME HALSTON'S ASSISTANT.

HE'S TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING I KNOW.

HE USED TO TELL ME, "NAEEM, THE FABRICS WILL TEACH YOU.

THE FABRIC TELLS YOU WHAT IT WANTS TO DO.

IF YOU HAVE A CONNECTION WITH YOUR FABRICS, YOU'LL BE THE BEST DESIGNER.

YOU HAVE TO DREAM OF THINGS.

IT HAS TO COME IN YOUR DREAMS."

BUT I HAD SOME AMAZING MOMENTS WITH HALSTON.

I DO WANT TO TELL YOU WHEN I FIRST JOINED HALSTON.

SO THE FIRST MONTH THAT I'M HERE, HALSTON SAYS TO ME, "I'M HAVING A PARTY AT 54.

AND I--DO YOU HAVE A TUXEDO?"

I SAID, "WHAT'S A TUXEDO?"

- HALSTON TAKES ME STRAIGHT TO ELIZABETH TAYLOR, AND HE SAYS, "THIS IS NAEEM, MY NEW ASSISTANT FROM INDIA."

AND I HAD NO IDEA WHO ELIZABETH TAYLOR WAS.

I THINK IT WAS A VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY.

ALL THE GIRLS WHO ARE SERVING ARE TOTALLY STARK NAKED.

THE PUBIC HAIR IS SHAVED INTO A HEART SHAPE... - REALLY?

- AND IT--AND IT'S PINK.

AND I HAD NEVER HEARD WHAT LONG ISLAND ICED TEA WAS, BECAUSE I'M COMING FROM INDIA, THINKING TEA.

SO I HAD FOUR OF THEM.

AND STEVE RUBELL HAD PAINTED THE ENTIRE ROOM IN ELECTRIC BLUE.

AND ALL THIS PAINT HAS-- IS SLOWLY GETTING STUCK TO MY JACKET.

I'M ELECTRIC BLUE NOW.

I TAKE THE TRAIN, AND I FALL OFF TO SLEEP AT 3:00 IN THE NIGHT.

IN THE MORNING I WAKE UP WITH MY BIG AFRO, MY BLUE TUXEDO, AND I SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING IN SUITS, AND THE CONDUCTOR'S WAKING ME UP.

- [laughs] - I USED TO BE SO SICK IN THE MORNING WHEN I USED TO WAKE UP FROM ALL THE DRINKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND THEN YOU'RE BACK AT WORK AT 10:00 OR 10:30.

AND IF YOU DID NOT, AND HALSTON WAS THERE BEFORE YOU, FORGET ABOUT IT.

- BUT IT'S HIS FAULT FOR MAKING YOU FEEL THAT WAY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

- NO, BUT HE WAS ALSO-- NO, HE'D SAY, "YOU WERE HAVING A GOOD TIME WITH ME.

JOB COMES WHEN JOB HAS TO BE."

IN SHORT, PARTY HARD, LIVE HARD, AND HAVE THE BEST LIFE, BECAUSE LIFE IS SO SHORT.

AND HALSTON LIVED IT.

HE REALLY DID.

[march playing] ♪ - LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND MRS. REAGAN.

["Hail to the Chief" playing] [cheers and applause] - IN 1981, WITH THE INAUGURATION OF RONALD REAGAN AND NANCY REAGAN COMING INTO THE WHITE HOUSE AS FIRST LADY, DESIGNERS WHOSE CLOTHES WERE MORE OPULENT CAME TO THE FORE.

RICH PEOPLE REALLY WANTED TO LOOK RICH.

HALSTON'S KIND OF MORE MINIMALIST STYLE FELL OUT OF FASHION.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE REAL PROBLEM.

I REALLY THINK IT WAS THE FACT THAT HE'D BE GOING TO THE BATHROOM TEN TIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSINESS MEETING.

I THINK THE PERSONAL PROBLEMS WERE WHAT REALLY DID HIM IN.

- AND WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, JUST SAY NO.

- I MEAN, 'CAUSE, LIKE, HALSTON SUSTAINED A LOT OF SUCCESS FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BURNING THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS.

- WELL, IF YOU DON'T OVERDO ANYTHING-- YOU KNOW, MODERATION-- YOU CAN GET BY.

BUT I THINK IT'S GOTTA AFFECT YOU, BECAUSE... - OR DRAIN YOU AFTER A WHILE.

- YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK IT REALLY--IT DID.

I MEAN, I HAD TO GIVE IT UP, 'CAUSE IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH.

- YEAH.

- I THINK HE PROBABLY STARTED HAVING TOO MUCH FUN IN THE EVENINGS.

- HMM.

- AND THEN THE MORNINGS BECAME HARDER.

IT WAS SORT OF UNTHINKABLE IN THAT PERSON THAT I'D FIRST MET.

THAT PERSON-- HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR ALL OF THAT.

HE WAS AN ARTIST... - YEAH.

- AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN HE SUCCUMBED TO THE CURRENCY OF FAME.

- JUST SIT DOWN AND WORK WITH ME.

- CASSINI ONCE HAD THIS GREAT LINE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, "IF YOUR CUSTOMERS COME TO YOU IN A LIMOUSINE, YOU'LL GO HOME IN A BUS.

IF YOUR CUSTOMERS COME TO YOU IN A BUS, YOU'LL GO HOME IN A LIMOUSINE."

THE IDEA WAS J.C. PENNEY WAS ACCESSIBLE FASHION.

- I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HALSTON ENTERPRISES AND J.C. PENNEY.

- IT WAS ALL LAUNCHED AT THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY IN NEW YORK.

- THE QUESTION'S THEN ASKED, AND WE ASK AGAIN, WHY HALSTON AND J.C. PENNEY?

- WHEN I WAS A KID, I ALWAYS SHOPPED AT PENNEY'S.

MY MOTHER ALWAYS TOOK ME TO PENNEY'S TO BUY ALL THE CLOTHES THAT WE WORE TO SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND IT'S TRUE.

I COME FROM DES MOINES, IOWA.

- THE ONE, THE ONLY HALSTON.

[cheers and applause] - THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THIS HAS BEEN PROBABLY THE MOST CHALLENGING AND GRATIFYING FASHION EXERCISE... - ORDINARILY, HALSTON CREATES CLOTHES THAT A LOT OF WOMEN LIKE, FEW CAN AFFORD, HOWEVER, IF YOU'LL PARDON THE EXPRESSION.

THAT IS BY DESIGN.

BUT NOW HALSTON IS COMING OUT WITH A LINE OF APPAREL THAT ANYBODY COULD AFFORD AT PRICES FROM $10 TO $200.

STARTING THIS SUMMER, CLOTHES WILL BE APPEARING AT 1,700 J.C. PENNEY DEPARTMENT STORES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

HALSTON SAYS HIS AGREEMENT TO TURN OUT CLOTHES FOR PENNEY WILL RUN FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.

HERE IT IS-- A BILLION-DOLLAR DEAL.

THAT'S HOW YOU WOULD DESCRIBE IT, ISN'T IT?

- YES, BILL, IT IS A BILLION-DOLLAR CONTRACT, WHICH IS A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF WORK... - UNBELIEVABLE.

- AND A LOT OF JOBS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

- HALSTON III EXCLUSIVE DESIGNS... [whistling] - NOW THIS IS CALLED HALSTON III.

- IT'S CALLED HALSTON III.

- WHY?

- WELL, IT'S REALLY THE THIRD STAGE OF MY CAREER, THE FIRST BEING IN THE MILLINERY BUSINESS, AND THEN IN FANCY CLOTHES AND DRESSING ALL THE STARS AND THINGS, AND NOW A LARGER PUBLIC-- DRESSING AMERICA, REALLY.

- DO YOU THINK THIS IS A RISK TO YOUR REPUTATION OR CAREER?

- OH, I THINK IT CAN ONLY ENHANCE IT.

- MM-HMM.

- IT'S A LARGER PUBLIC.

IT'S MUCH MORE INTERESTING.

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO EMBRACE THAT AMERICAN PUBLIC.

AND YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IN THEM.

IT--IT'S A WONDERFUL THING.

IT'S ALWAYS WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

- 1,700 STORES... - WITH THE BEST PEOPLE EVER.

- THE BIGGEST THING, I'M SURE, YOU'VE EVER DONE.

- OH, FOR SURE.

- HI, CAN I HELP YOU?

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BUYING A HALSTON DRESS?

- ARE THESE THE SAME CLOTHES THAT, UM, ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND THE CELEBRITIES WEAR?

- YES, THESE ARE SOME OF... - [fussing] - THE SAME TYPE OF CLOTHES... - I DON'T SEE WHERE THE SHOULDERS ARE.

AND LOOK AT THE BACK.

- YEAH, WELL... - IT'S CALLED INVESTMENT DRESSING.

- THIS ONE IS $55.

- IT DIDN'T SELL.

NOT ONLY DID IT NOT SELL, BUT IT WAS DISCONTINUED.

AT THE SAME TIME, BERGDORF GOODMAN WANTED TO SEND A SIGNAL TO THE DESIGN COMMUNITY THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA SELL A MASS RETAILER, YOU--YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SELL BERGDORF GOODMAN.

SO BERGDORF GOODMAN TOSSED THE LINE OUT.

- DIDN'T YOU RUN INTO SOME TROUBLE WITH BERGDORF, WHO WAS THE FIRST FASHION... - OH, NOT AT ALL.

NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

YOU KNOW, BERGDORF-- YOU KNOW, I WISH THEM WELL.

I STARTED MY CAREER AT BERGDORF AND HELPED MAKE BERGDORF FAMOUS.

BUT BERGDORF IS A RATHER SMALL ACCOUNT COMPARED TO ALL AMERICA.

- IT WAS SCANDALOUS.

PEOPLE WERE SHOCKED.

IT WAS LIKE-- IT WAS AS IF YOU HEARD ROLLS-ROYCE WAS GOING TO DO SUPERMARKET CARRIAGES.

I MEAN, IT-- THE IDEA OF A NAME... - OH, YEAH.

- THAT STOOD FOR SUCH QUALITY AND GLAMOUR-- THAT IT WOULD GO SO DOWN-MARKET WAS ALARMING.

- AND THIS IS YOUR FIRST TRIP TO NEW YORK CITY?

- YES, IT IS.

- ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD TIME?

- OH, I'M REALLY ENJOYING IT.

- WE MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU HERE.

THIS COAT IS THE COVER OF THE J.C. PENNEY'S CATALOG.

THIS IS $120, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IN THE WORLD THEY MAKE IT FOR THAT PRICE.

AND THIS IS VELVET WITH SOME OSTRICH FEATHERS.

I LOVE USING A SCHOOLTEACHER.

I JUST LOVE IT.

- HE WAS CONSIDERED TAINTED AFTER THAT.

- YEAH, I THINK SO.

- IT WAS SUCH A DIFFERENT TIME.

[Beethoven's "Ode to Joy"] - DIANE von FURSTENBERG IS A SURVIVOR OF HALSTON.

IN A WAY, HER WRAP DRESS WAS VERY MUCH LIKE A HALSTON PATTERN.

- HMM.

- YOU KNOW, JUST A SIMPLE ORIGAMI PATTERN... - MM-HMM.

- FLATTERED THE BODY.

- I WAS YOUNG IN THE '70s.

I WAS VERY YOUNG.

I CAME TO AMERICA.

I WAS 22.

I MARRIED A PRINCE.

I HAD TWO CHILDREN.

AND I STARTED A BUSINESS-- EVERYTHING IN THE SAME YEAR.

I ALWAYS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M A JET-SETTER, BECAUSE I TOOK IT ON A JET.

HALSTON CREATED SUCH A LIBERATED FASHION.

THAT IS REALLY WHAT INSPIRED ME TO GO MYSELF INTO FASHION, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL ABOUT JERSEYS AND COLORS AND FLUIDITY.

AND IT WAS A VERY MODERN APPROACH TO FASHION.

IT WASN'T OLD-FASHIONED DRESS-MAKING.

I WAS VERY YOUNG.

THE WHOLE WORLD OF LICENSING WAS VERY NEW.

SOMETIMES YOU MADE MISTAKES, BECAUSE YOU ASSOCIATED WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE AT THE WRONG TIME.

UH, FOR HIM, IT WAS HE ASSOCIATED WITH J.C. PENNEY.

- DO YOU THINK IF SOMEONE WAS TO ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH J.C. PENNEY TODAY, WOULD THAT BE THE SAME-- SAME REACTION?

- SOMEBODY--YOU CAN DO IT, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT, AND NO ONE REALLY HAS SUCCEEDED.

I MYSELF--I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU DO MAKE MISTAKES.

BUT HALSTON'S WAS, YOU KNOW, A COMBINATION OF--OF-- I DON'T KNOW.

HE LOST HIS HEART INTO IT, I GUESS.

- WHY IS THAT?

- I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, '70s PHENOMENON.

- YEAH.

- ABUSE.

- OH, THERE'S LIZA DOWN THERE KISSING ANDY WARHOL.

- OH, OKAY.

- THESE ARE THESE COOL SURFBOARDS THAT I DID, ONE-OF-A-KIND SURFBOARDS.

THAT'S SALVADOR DALí.

FOR ONE OF WARHOL'S BIRTHDAYS HE WRAPPED UP LOTS OF GARBAGE IN GAFFER'S TAPE AND THEN JUST SIGNED IT "DALí."

CHECK IT OUT.

WARHOL AND I WANTED TO DO A COLLABORATION.

- IS THAT WIG... - THAT WIG.

CHECK IT OUT.

THERE YOU GO.

TALK ABOUT HISTORY.

OH, THIS HERE-- THIS IS A BILLY BOY DOLL.

THEY SOMEHOW THINK THAT THIS IS ANATOMICALLY CORRECT.

- HOW CLOSE WERE YOU TO WARHOL?

- WELL, WE WEREN'T F*** BUDDIES.

- I'M NOT ASKING THAT, FOR F***'S SAKE.

- WELL, THAT'S A GOOD ANSWER, THOUGH, ISN'T IT?

I COULD JUST SIT HERE AND BE WARHOL-ESQUE AND JUST SAY YES AND NO.

- YES.

NO.

- MAYBE.

- I MEAN, HE WAS A PRETTY TOUGH INTERVIEW, WASN'T HE?

I MEAN, HE'D JUST KIND OF MAKE PEOPLE THOROUGHLY UNCOMFORTABLE.

- YES.

- [laughs] [telephone ringing] - HELLO?

OH, MY GOD.

HOW YOU DOING?

[laughs] SO... MY PUBLISHER'S HAVING BRUNCH WITH SOMEBODY FROM I.C.M.

DO YOU HAVE A-A STORY ABOUT HALSTON?

OH, THAT'S VERY GOOD.

OH, THAT'S A VERY GOOD STORY.

THIS IS THE STORY.

EVERY TIME IT WOULD BE ANDY WARHOL'S BIRTHDAY, HALSTON WOULD SAY, "IT'S TIME FOR ANDY'S BIRTHDAY.

LET'S JUST GO UP THERE AND GIVE HIM LOTS OF MONEY, CRUSH IT UP, AND THROW IT INTO THE FIREPLACE AND WATCH ANDY BURN HIS FINGERS TRYING TO GET IT."

- [laughs] I HAVE A HUGE QUESTION.

WAS 54 OVERRATED?

I MEAN, HOW GREAT WAS IT?

- I--IT WAS PRETTY COOL.

I LIKED IT.

- MM-HMM.

- I-I LIKED IT A LOT.

- MISS IT?

- NOT AT ALL.

IT WAS USUALLY OLDER PEOPLE LOOKING AT YOUNGER PEOPLE, HOPING TO GET LAID... - [laughs] - OR IT WAS YOUNGER PEOPLE LOOKING TO FURTHER THEIR CAREER WITH THE OLDER PEOPLE... - OKAY.

- AND HOPING THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO GET LAID.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY WAS WORKING EVERYBODY.

[telephone ringing] - UH, HELLO?

HI.

I DID SEE THAT, AND I HAVE A GOOD-- I'M SO GLAD, PETER, THAT YOU CALLED.

WELL, ACTUALLY THIS PERSON USED TO SUPPLY ALL THE ORCHIDS TO HALSTON.

I MEAN, ANY KIND OF STORY, PETER.

- HALSTON TOOK IT TO AN EXTREME.

YOU KNOW, AT ANY ONE TIME HE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BETWEEN 60 AND 80 PLANTS.

- [speaking indistinctly] - I--WELL, NO MORE SO THAN OTHER PART OF HIS LIFE.

- [laughs] - IT IS AN ELABORATE PARTY BY ANY MEASURE OF THE IMAGINATION.

AS HALSTON LED ME THROUGH HIS OFFICE, I WAS AWED BY THE SCOPE OF HIS SENSE OF WHAT ENTERTAINMENT IS ALL ABOUT-- WAITERS STANDING BY, TOP-SHELF LIQUOR.

THE FIRST QUESTION I ASKED, HOW MUCH THIS SIMPLE HOME PARTY WAS GOING TO COST.

- THE BUSINESS MANAGER FROM BEATRICE PULLED ME ASIDE ONE DAY WHEN I WAS DELIVERING FLOWERS TO...

HE SAID, "DID YOU KNOW THAT HALSTON IS SPENDING $60,000 TO $100,000 A YEAR JUST ON FLOWERS?"

AND I SAID, "OH, REALLY?"

- I MEAN, I-I DO REMEMBER SOME OF THESE SORT OF SAD IRONY ABOUT HOW HALSTON HAD BRANDED HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE CHICEST, COOLEST DESIGNERS, AND HE SOLD HIMSELF TO A BIG COMPANY.

- YEAH, NORTON SIMON BOUGHT HIM.

- RIGHT.

AND THEN THE COMPANY THAT MAKES PLAYTEX LIVING BRAS BOUGHT IT.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED, BEATRICE FOODS, WHICH MAKES MAYONNAISE, BOUGHT THAT COMPANY.

- IT'S VERY PAINFUL TO TALK ABOUT.

I-I SOLD THE LICENSING OF THE NAME TO A LARGE CORPORATION, AND IT SNOWBALLED OUT OF CONTROL.

- OH, HEAVENS.

- THE NAME HALSTON IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY J.C. PENNEY, REVLON, BEATRICE.

- YEAH, YOU KNOW... [laughter] - WHAT KIND OF A GAL IS BEATRICE?

I ALWAYS THINK OF HER AS A HEAVY-SET WOMAN.

- AS I WAS TRYING TO SAY... - HERE'S A MAN THAT WAS SO USED TO HAVING, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF ORCHIDS IN HIS... AND NOW SUDDENLY YOU HAVE A MAYONNAISE COMPANY WHO--WHO IS GIVING YOU THE INSTRUCTIONS.

"WE GOT TO CUT THE BUDGET, NO MORE ORCHIDS."

[telephone ringing] - DO YOU THINK HIS SPIRIT WAS CRUSHED?

- YES.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

HI.

- BIANCA, LIZA, BACALL-- THEY ADORED ME.

STUDIO 54 WAS MY LIVING ROOM.

I GAVE THE MOST FABULOUS PARTIES IN NEW YORK.

WELL, YOU CAN ASK ANYONE, OF COURSE... - WELL, NOW YOUR NAME IS TACKED ON CHEAP LUGGAGE AND PENCIL SETS.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HALSTON AQUARIUM GRAVEL AT WALGREENS.

[laughter] - YOU KNOW, THE MAN WHO-- WHO--WHO WAS--UM, MR. EPSTEIN.

- CARL EPSTEIN.

- CARL EPSTEIN.

- WAIT, SO CARL, BUT HE WAS KIND OF THIS ACCOUNTANT TYPE, I UNDERSTAND, A NUMBER CRUNCHER.

- A NUMBER CRUNCHER.

AND THEY JUST DIDN'T GET ALONG, AND HE DID NOT LIKE THE WAYS HALSTON WORKED-- PARTIES, WILD LIFE, AND ALL THAT STUFF.

- THE RUMORS OF THE--OF THE DRUG-TAKING WERE EVERYWHERE AND VERY BIG MOOD SWINGS.

AND HE HAD A BAD TEMPER.

YOU KNOW, IF HE DIDN'T LIKE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, ON GO THE GLASSES WITH THE MIRRORS, SO, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE-- YOU CAN'T SEE HIS EYES.

YOU'RE WATCHING YOURSELF.

- THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GO BACK TO EUROPE TO LIVE.

I WAS FEELING VERY BAD, BECAUSE A LOT OF MY FRIENDS HAD PASSED AWAY, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM AIDS, AND I WAS UPSET WITH VICTOR HUGO, BECAUSE I KNEW HE WAS RUNNING AROUND WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT MEN, AND I WAS VERY AFRAID FOR MY FRIEND HALSTON.

HE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT HE WAS PUTTING INTO HIS BODY, I SUPPOSE, THAN WHAT HE WAS DOING, AND THIS WAS THE INFLUENCE OF VICTOR HUGO.

HE TOOK HIM DOWN.

WE WERE DOING A SHOOTING WITH HORACE THAT DAY, AND I WAS HIS ONLY MODEL.

AND I SAID TO HIM POINT BLANK, I SAID, "HALSTON, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE."

I SAID, "IT'S TIME TO LEAVE."

- YOU TOLD HIM TO LEAVE THE OLYMPIC TOWER.

- "LEAVE," I SAID.

"IT'S TIME TO LEAVE.

I'M LEAVING.

AND IF I LEAVE, I HAVE DREAMS, AND I'M GOING TO LIVE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE.

I'M GOING TO GET A BOAT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

DO YOU WANT TO COME?

DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE?"

IT WAS A VERY SPOOKY MOMENT.

I FELT LIKE THINGS WERE GOING LIKE THIS.

GOOD-BYE.

I FELT LIKE I WAS SAYING GOOD-BYE TO HIM.

- MR. EPSTEIN, CARL EPSTEIN, HE REPORTED TO THE BIG COMPANIES.

THEY SAID, "YOU HAVE TO LET HALSTON GO."

- WHAT WAS THE FINAL STRAW?

WHAT--WHAT HAPPENED?

- I THINK THEY DECIDED TO PAY HIM TO STAY HOME.

- AND THAT WAS THE DEMISE OF HALSTON.

I MEAN, THEY WERE SUCH FOOLS TO--TO HAVE DONE THAT.

IT WAS ONE MAN'S WAR AGAINST HALSTON.

- HE COULDN'T GET THE BUSINESS BACK.

I MEAN, THE BUSINESS WAS GONE FOREVER.

- SO HE COULD NEVER USE THE NAME HALSTON AGAIN, IS THAT CORRECT?

- NO.

HE ONCE MADE A JOKE.

HE SAID, "I DON'T CARE.

I'M GONNA GO OUT AND DO MY OWN LINE.

I'M GONNA CALL IT 'GUESS WHO.'"

WHICH I THOUGHT WAS SUCH A RIOT, YOU KNOW.

- WHEN WHOEVER TOOK OVER HALSTON, THEY CALLED UP ALL THESE GIRLS THAT HALSTON HAD GIVEN CLOTHES TO AND ASKED FOR THE CLOTHES BACK.

- THEN THEY CAME ACTUALLY... - AND THEY ACTUALLY CAME TO THE DOOR WITH A SECURITY TEAM.

- AND TAKE OUT ALL THE CLOTHES THAT WERE IN HER APARTMENT.

- THAT'S AWFUL.

- THE COMPANY KEPT BEING SOLD, AND IT FINALLY ENDED UP IN REVLON'S HANDS, IN RONALD PERELMAN'S HANDS.

AND RONALD AGREED TO TRY AND REVIVE THE LINE AGAIN.

- I THINK A DEAL WAS ABOUT TO GO DOWN WITH REVLON AND PERELMAN, BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHY.

- PERELMAN WAS PUT OFF BY HALSTON.

HALSTON WAS MAKING INCREDIBLE DEMANDS.

LIKE, HE WANTED HIS OWN PRIVATE PLANE.

HE WANTED $250,000 A YEAR FOR ORCHIDS, UM, 'CAUSE, I MEAN, HE JUST--HE LOST IT.

- I DIDN'T SEE HALSTON IN A WHILE, 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, STUDIO WAS CLOSED.

HE WASN'T GOING OUT.

- WHY DID HE STOP GOING OUT?

- I DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S WHAT I REALLY DON'T KNOW.

- HE AND VICTOR HAD SPLIT UP, GOT BACK TOGETHER, SPLIT UP A HUNDRED TIMES.

- DID HE GET DISILLUSIONED WITH THE WHOLE SCENE?

- I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

THE BUSINESS, MAYBE.

- THINGS GOING ON.

- RICHARD, HE WAS DOING A LOT OF DRUGS.

- A LOT OF DRUGS, YEAH.

- MAYBE HE WAS SICK.

I DON'T KNOW.

- YEAH.

- AND HALSTON ALWAYS SAID TO ME, "NAEEM, I'M COMING BACK.

WE'RE GONNA BE BACK TOGETHER, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO."

WE WOULD HAVE ALL THESE DESIGN MEETINGS.

BUT IT NEVER CAME ABOUT.

- OH.

- AND SLOWLY HIS HEALTH FADED, AND THEN HE WENT AWAY.

- YEAH.

- YEAH.

- HE NEVER SAID TO ME, "I'M GONNA DIE."

BUT I KNEW.

SO I-I'D WRITE HIM LETTERS.

YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO STAY, AND HIS BROTHER SAID TO ME, "YOU CAN'T.

YOU HAVE TO GO, BECAUSE IF YOU STAY, HE'LL KNOW THAT YOU KNOW SOMETHING'S REALLY WRONG."

AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO ACCEPT.

AND IT WAS AT A TIME WHEN AIDS WAS JUST-- THEY DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT.

- I KNOW.

- IT WAS SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF, WHICH IS LUDICROUS, YOU KNOW.

- YEAH.

- BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS, AND THOSE ARE THE FACTS.

- HE WENT TO SAN FRANCISCO, AND HE BOUGHT HIMSELF A ROLLS-ROYCE, AND HE WOULD BE IN THE CAR, AND HE WOULD DRIVE AROUND ON HIS OWN.

AND HE WAS NOT TALKING CALLS FROM ANYBODY.

HE WAS BY HIMSELF.

- GOD, I-I--WHEN HE DIED, I WENT NUTS.

REALLY, I WENT INTO SUCH A DEPRESSION.

WELL, I-I DIDN'T THINK-- I-I KNEW OTHER PEOPLE WOULD DIE, 'CAUSE THEY WERE GETTING OLD.

BUT HALSTON?

NO.

IT'S VERY HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE WHEN YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, YOU KNOW.

- FASHION DESIGNER HALSTON, WHO CREATED THE PILLBOX HAT WORN BY JACQUELINE KENNEDY AT HER HUSBAND'S PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION, DIED LAST NIGHT IN A SAN FRANCISCO HOSPITAL.

HALSTON, WHO WAS BORN ROY HALSTON FROWICK, DIED OF AIDS-RELATED CANCER.

HE WAS 57.

- WHEN I CAME BACK TO AMERICA TO LIVE, I SAID, "OH, LET ME WALK PAST HALSTON'S HOUSE AND SEE HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT."

I STOOD, AND I LOOKED UP, AND A MAN CAME OVER TO ME, AND HE SAID, "DO YOU KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS BUILDING?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS BUILDING?

DO YOU KNOW WHO LIVED HERE?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF EXCITING PEOPLE AND EXCITING PARTIES THEY USED TO HAVE?

THAT MAN HAD NO IDEA THAT I WAS PART OF THAT."

I LISTENED TO HIS STORY, AND IT WAS LIKE I WASN'T EVEN THERE.

I FELT LIKE A GHOST.

- Smith: WHAT ORIGINALLY DREW ME TO HALSTON WAS THE GLAMOUR, THE GIRLS, THE HAZE OF CIGARETTE SMOKE AT 54.

BUT WHAT I FOUND WAS SOMETHING ELSE-- AN ARTIST, A VISIONARY, A FRIEND LOVED BY MANY, AND ABOVE ALL, A TRUE AMERICAN ORIGINAL.

THE '70s REALLY DID BELONG TO HALSTON.

- YOU CAN TRY TO IMITATE, BUT AN ORIGINAL IS ORIGINAL, AND IT WILL NEVER COME BACK.

MEMORIES AND PICTURES AND FILMS ARE THE BEST THING TO ENJOY WHAT WAS THEN.

- I JUST RECENTLY WENT TO A PARTY IN A TOWN HOUSE, AND A YOUNG GIRL CAME IN, AND SHE WAS WEARING A HALSTON DRESS.

HER MOTHER HAD GIVEN HER A HAMMERED SATIN BIAS COLUMN.

AND THIS DRESS STOOD OUT AMONGST ALL THE DRESSES IN THE ROOM, AMONGST ALL THE NEW CLOTHES.

THIS GIRL'S DRESS, WHEN SHE WALKED IN THE ROOM, IT WAS LIKE LIGHTS CAME ON.

THE STRENGTH OF HALSTON IS HIS WORK.

WHAT SPEAKS IS THE WORK, NOT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AT THE END OF HIS LIFE.

- THERE'S A KIND OF ARTISTIC QUALITY TO IT.

THE DEMISE HAS AN ARTISTIC, BYRON-ESQUE, RAMBO KIND OF QUALITY TO IT.

IT'S SOMEBODY DYING YOUNG, BURNING OUT, OVERDOING IT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A ROMANTIC VISION OF THINGS-- DO EVERYTHING YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO AND THEN BE CELEBRATED WHEN YOU'RE GONE.

I'M NOT SO SURE I WOULD LOOK BACK AT THIS AS A MORALITY TALE NOW OR A CAUTIONARY TALE.

- RIGHT.

- I THINK IT'S HALSTON'S TALE.

IT WAS HIS STORY THE WAY HE WANTED TO HAVE IT GO.

- HE WAS A GREAT-- HALSTON WAS A GREAT PERSON AND A GREAT DESIGNER AND A TRAGIC FIGURE BECAUSE OF THAT.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T BE TRAGIC UNLESS THERE'S SOME GREATNESS THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

[engine revving] [tires squealing] [the Trammps' "Disco Inferno" playing] ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURNIN' ♪ TO MASS FIRES, YES ♪ 100 STORIES HIGH ♪ PEOPLE GETTING LOOSE, Y'ALL ♪ THEY'RE GETTING DOWN ♪ ON THE ROOF ♪ DON'T YOU HEAR?

♪ THE FOLKS WERE FLAMING ♪ OUT OF CONTROL ♪ IT WAS SO ENTERTAINING ♪ WHEN THE BOOGIE ♪ STARTED TO EXPLODE ♪ I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ DISCO INFERNO ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN THAT MOTHER DOWN ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ DISCO INFERNO ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN THAT MOTHER DOWN ♪ BURNIN' ♪ SATISFACTION ♪ OOH, OOH, OOH ♪ CAME IN A CHAIN REACTION ♪ BURNIN' ♪ I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH ♪ TILL I HAD TO SELF-DESTRUCT ♪ OOH, OOH, OOH ♪ THE HEAT WAS ON ♪ RISING TO THE TOP, MM ♪ EVERYBODY GOING STRONG ♪ OOH, OOH, OOH ♪ THAT'S WHEN MY SPARK GOT HOT ♪ I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ DISCO INFERNO ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN THAT MOTHER DOWN, Y'ALL ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ DISCO INFERNO ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN THAT MOTHER DOWN ♪ BURNIN' ♪ FROM ABOVE MY HEAD ♪ I HEAR MUSIC IN THE AIR ♪ I HEAR MUSIC ♪ THAT MAKES ME KNOW ♪ THERE'S A PARTY SOMEWHERE ♪ SATISFACTION, MM ♪ CAME IN A CHAIN REACTION ♪ DON'T YOU HEAR?

♪ I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH ♪ SO I HAD TO SELF-DESTRUCT ♪ MM ♪ THE HEAT WAS ON ♪ RISING TO THE TOP, MM ♪ EVERYBODY'S GOING STRONG ♪ THAT IS WHEN ♪ MY SPARK GOT HOT ♪ I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ DISCO INFERNO ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN THAT MOTHER DOWN ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ DISCO INFERNO ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN THAT MOTHER DOWN ♪ GET IT ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ YEAH, HEY ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN THAT MOTHER DOWN ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ DISCO INFERNO ♪ BURN, BABY, BURN ♪ BURN THAT MOTHER DOWN ♪ BURNIN' ♪ OH, MM ♪ I JUST CAN'T STOP ♪ WHEN MY SPARK GETS HOT ♪ I JUST CAN'T STOP ♪ WHEN MY SPARK GETS HOT