ULTRASUEDE: IN SEARCH OF HALTSON Now On Demand → On Demand Weekly

ULTRASUEDE: IN SEARCH OF HALTSON Now On DemandDecember 27, 2011

Tribeca Film

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: ULTRASUEDE: IN SEARCH OF HALTSON (Tribeca Film).

ULTRASUEDE: IN SEARCH OF HALSTON
By Amy Slotnick

Halston was America’s first celebrity designer, dressing the country’s most glamorous performers and first ladies, and was the first to become a household name. Known for this love of excessiveness and glamour, Halston epitomized the 1970’s. After designing Jacqueline Kennedy’s iconic inaugural pillbox hat, Halston launched his own line of clothing. Known for its casual chic and modern, fluid lines, his clothes flattered women in the signature fabrics, jersey and ultrasuede.

Halston was a central figure of New York City’s nightlife

and his clothes became ubiquitous amongst an elite circle,

which included Liza Minelli, Truman Capote, Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger.

The new documentary, ULTRASUEDE: IN SEARCH OF HALSTON, follows a string of successful documentaries about fashion greats such as Valentino, Vogue’s September Issue and photographer Bill Cunnigham. Director Whitney Sudler Smith leads his investigation on camera, interviewing many of Halston’s famous friends, muses and critics. The most interesting characters uncovered are those not as well known, such as Halston’s boyfriend, artist Victor Hugo, and the Dupont twins, revelers at Studio 54 who are candid about the drug abuse of the period.

Halston was also a leader in the licensing trend, lending his name to a wide range of products, including carpet, housewares and frangrances. He attempted to democratize fashion and dress America when he made a $1 billion contract with JC Penny to create a line of affordable Halston designs. Although today designers from Versace to Alexander McQueen have succeeded with mass-produced lines for Target and H&M, at the time the move tainted his brand.

Along with the sale of his company to Norton Simon, Halston lost control of his empire and his name. The film represents that at this time, he fell into a tragic, downward spiral and isolated himself in Montauk and California. When Revlon took control of the brand, Chairman Ron Perleman offered Halston the opportunity for a comeback, but that was blown when Halston insisted on excessive perks such as $200,000 for flowers.

Director Sudler-Smith’s presence on screen is unfortunate; he is not a dynamic enough character to warrant being in front of the camera and does not add to the storytelling. Nevertheless, ULTRASUEDE provides anyone with an interest in fashion a portrait of an artist who changed American fashion and who tragically died young before his career soared to its place in history.

- Amy Slotnick

Amy
Amy Slotnick is a contributor to On Demand Weekly. She works as an independent producer and freelance consultant to film financing start-ups. Previously she was a Senior VP of Production at Miramax Films.