fabric to halston was like clay to a sculptor. he knew how to use it. and everything was cut on the bias so it spiralled. basically, bias is cutting fabric on an oblique or 45-degree angle. fabric is usually cut on the straight grain. if you ve ever cut anything on the buyias the bias, it flows over the body. it s very hard to sew. it s very hard to control. he would throw a piece of fabric on the floor, cut through it, pick it up, throw it on you, and then it was a dress. that s genius. it s a dress, just from the way he cut it. i don t know anybody who could do that. he s the only one.
but the 60s in general were a political, moral, social revolution. halston understood that there was a whole new social order coming in. the war baby boom came of age. drugs, sex, and rock and roll. even the french couture changed. saint laurent, givenchy opened up read-to-wear boutiques. halston saw all of that. and there was tension with the bergdorf people. halston, strange character. quite fussy, and he was always very demanding, every little detail. he said, i have backing. all sorts of small petty things. halston came to see me, and he said, i have backing. would you clean up your act? i was deep into drugs by that time.
i mean, i moved out of iowa as a young man. it was during the second world war and my father was in business that took us from one place to the other. so i lived in the lake of ozarks and lived in kentucky, and i lived in missouri. we finally settled in indiana. so i was all over, you know. it was sort of an unsettled time. when you do go back home there is no home in iowa, you see. what else do you think we should go over? just a little bit of the history. i think that would be good for us to have. oh, that history crap. that s all right now. but this is history. the past just doesn t interest me so much. i think you have pretty much i think you have enough. we need a transcript as soon as possible. halston never looked back. today and tomorrow were all that mattered.
interview with this guy, it was like trying to get to pope john. because he was next to that [ bleep ] cross. everyone would call him h. he d say i am an emperor. he was believing this stuff. halston, is it tougher to get on top or to stay on top? halston said i m going to tell you i m going to china. i m going like wow. china wanted to show the world that they were opening up, so they invited the master of publicity to visit the silk cities. come on, judy. come on, everybody. what i want to explain to you all is what we re doing. with the china trip, you could see the brain working. each girl had their own personal collection designed. everything all laid out.
think today, wouldn t you say, the best-known name you shouldn t say best and worst because then other designers get upset. you re pretty good, halston. thank you. you would always think, how do i go to that next level? there s mink and marigold right outside he was looking for a perfume company. nothing s gained if there s nothing tried every single week he was having meetings with revlon, coudi. mr. bannon of iff. he d like to meet with you today if possible. then finally max factor. and max factor, who s a subsidiary of norton simon. say yes, yes, i can yes, i will i remember halston saying to andy and me, you know, i really like the norton simon people because they re all so tall. david mahoney was the chairman