Have you ever heard of a guy named Roy Halston? Most likely, many of you have no idea who this is. And this is a legendary man who turned American fashion upside down in the 70s, as well as an extremely controversial, but unconditionally talented figure. It was about him in mid-May on Netflix a series was released, which for some reason no one really talks about.
Critics greeted “Halston” coolly, and the majority of ordinary viewers probably do not even know about the existence of the series. So I decided to correct this injustice and tell you why you should definitely watch it, even if you are not interested in the subject matter.
Don’t worry, “Halston” is not about the world of fashion at all, it’s just a setting, and there are no bad settings if done properly. Yes, in the center of the plot is a famous couturier, but – a spoiler! – first of all, this is a story about humility, self-acceptance and an endless battle with your ego. True, the series skillfully hides its true nature to the last, and the authors lay out all the cards on the table 20-30 minutes before the end.
The series covers a solid chunk of Roy Halston’s career – from the moment the hero gains first glory thanks to the hat that Jacqueline Kennedy wore at the presidential inauguration, to the “loss” of his name and quiet death, before which he traveled along the Pacific coast for 18 months. And between these events took about 30 years.
It is clear that so much time is difficult to fit into five hour episodes, but for the series this is not a problem at all. It reveals only the key moments from the life of a fashion designer that directly influenced the formation of his personality. At first, the narrative of the series may seem ragged and illogical, but in the end all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, and you get an amazingly beautiful picture.
Thanks to this approach, we have the opportunity to see in contrast how Roy has changed over the years. A character is always “evolving” unpredictably – he does not have any clear vector of development. The hero always shows different character traits – both positive and negative. It’s just that sometimes some people dominate others, which is quite human.
As for the unusual presentation of the plot, traditionally important from an artistic point of view episodes like the loss of a loved one in Holston are sometimes given very little attention, and much more insignificant, at first glance, moments such as unrestrained revelry. But there is a certain charm in this, because such an arrangement of accents perfectly reflects the essence and state of mind of the protagonist.
At the same time, history is perceived as a whole. Partly due to the fact that Roy’s life itself resembles the plot of a TV series. It has literally everything: drama, tragedy, ups and downs, strong friendship and betrayal. However, “Halston” is not a documentary at all, because many of the nuances were left behind the scenes, and some of the events described are quite embellished. And this is great, because otherwise the series would simply not work. In other words, the authors cut out and added just as much as was required for the ending to tear the viewer to pieces.
“Halston” resembles a cross between “Patrick Melrose” and “King’s Gambit” – especially its atmosphere, even if it did without outright depression. The series about the famous couturier is a real emotional roller coaster, on which, despite controversial feelings, one wants to ride again and again.
One of the main (albeit obvious) thoughts that jumps between the lines: talent, which will certainly inflate the ego, is not only a gift, but also a real curse. And in the series, using Halston as an example, the authors clearly showed how talent can lead to success, and then destroy the whole life. And the way the hero tries in vain to fight him and the dire consequences is a truly bewitching sight.
Throughout the series, Roy is turned away by the people with whom he went through fire, water and copper pipes – through his own fault. However, friendship in the history of “Holston” plays an important role: one person still remains with the hero to the end – the inimitable singer and Oscar-winning actress Lisa Minnelli. Despite all the seeming callousness, Halston sincerely values his friendship with her, so it’s great that the authors revealed the character from this side.
Halston has a long creative path: from universal recognition and lucrative contracts to losing his name and realizing that he wasted most of his life, while making a lot of mistakes. The latter was especially well reflected in the series. And, which is symbolic, dramatic changes take place at the very end – shortly before Roy’s death.
If most of the time an arrogant, eccentric, but fake character appears before us, then in the finale we see an already restrained and sincere person who has ceased to be fixated on himself. The hero becomes free. And here’s a good example: Halston scornfully insists throughout the series that the opinion of critics about his work does not matter, especially when they smash it to smithereens. However, in the end, the arrogance fades away, and he admits to himself that this is important to him. And out loud, almost with tears in his eyes from happiness, he says: “Well, reviews are not important.”
But the character would hardly be so catchy if it were not for Ewan McGregor. Perhaps this is his most unusual role – and he ideally fell into the image of a famous couturier. The manner of speech, timbre of voice, body language very accurately coincide with what the real Rol Halston was, judging by the interview with him. His hero is not a tough Jedi, but a vulnerable person suffering from his talent and trying to deceive everyone in what kind of person he really is – himself in the first place.
Halston is also gay. Moreover, with a very pronounced feminine demeanor, which is a little annoying at first. However, a strong emphasis was placed on this, not for show, but because it is an extremely important part of Holston’s life. It can be said that it was partly because of his connections with men that he reconsidered his views on life. Everything is furnished in such a way that it simply cannot but touch to the depths of the soul.
Nevertheless, I will warn you right away: if you are all such a conservative heterosexual man, then it will probably be difficult for you to watch Ewan McGregor practice anal sex (without much detail, really), and listen to dialogues about big dicks.
In an amicable way, here I have to make some balanced conclusion. But I don’t want to say anything. “Halston” impressed me so much that after the credits I sat there for another half an hour in prostration, looking uselessly at the monitor – that’s all you need to know.
And finally, keep a quote from the ending:
Look at the blue of the ocean. How the sun falls on him. The color changes. It now appears to be silver. Years ago, I would have looked at this blue and thought, “What can I think of in this color?” Ideas for a new collection would start spinning in my head. Or even several. Maybe all shades of blue. Will I have time to prepare her for the fall? Which magazine will it be on? Will people like it? But now … I only think about what a beautiful blue it is.
Author: Dmitry Kinsky
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