Lipscomb's Halston collection makes <em>A Fashion Affair</em> a can't-miss opportunity

Janel Shoun | 12/10/2007

A valuable collection of dresses designed by famed American design house, Halston, will be the highlight of a scintillating spring fund-raiser, coordinated by the same group who brings the annual, can’t miss event, A Vintage Affair in Franklin.

A photo from the Lipscomb collection depicting model Susan Hess modeling a dress from Halston's Fall 1981 collection. Photo by Stan Papich.

The illustrious Halston collection, owned by Lipscomb University, will be showcased at the first-time fund-raiser, A Fashion Affair, Jan. 26, at the Factory at Franklin.

A Vintage Affair, hosted annually at the Factory, involves more than 50 businesses and corporation sponsors and has raised more than $400,000 in proceeds for Williamson County charities and non-profit organizations over the past seven years.

In 2008, for the first time, A Vintage Affair will hold a spring event, as well as the annual fall event. A Fashion Affair will take place at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 26, with a reception followed by the runway show of Halston designs at 8 p.m.

Reservations are $100 per person, and may be purchased at the Factory or can be ordered online at www.avintageaffair.org.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Williamson Medical Center, the Williamson County Library Foundation, and Williamson County Youth, Inc.

Halston comes to Lipscomb

The runway show will feature the famous Halston collection of vintage gowns and garments, which Lipscomb has provided for the event. This will be Middle Tennessee’s first opportunity to see the bulk of the collection since its last display in 2005.

The Halston collection was donated to Lipscomb’s fashion merchandising department by Georgette Mosbacher, president and CEO of Borghese Cosmetics in New York City. Fashion design majors at Lipscomb study the collection to better understand how fine fashions are conceived, designed on paper, presented on the runway and brought to the fashion market.

The road to Lipscomb’s ownership of the collection began some years ago through an annual fashion merchandising trip for students taken to New York City. The trip is designed to teach students about the fashion business while visiting major design houses and museums. Kathy Bates, professor of fashion merchandising at Lipscomb, leads the trip and often takes the group to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. Years ago she discovered that FIT kept a list of universities with fashion merchandising programs that would be interested in receiving vintage clothing and fashion-related items. Bates requested that Lipscomb’s name be placed on the list.

In 2002, Mosbacher, at the time being relatively new to her position, received a large bill for a storage unit and discovered that the company owned a large collection of Halston evening dresses, other garments and documents. As part of her cost-cutting measures at Borghese, Mosbacher offered to give the collection to FIT.

After concluding that there was not a space large enough to house the collection, FIT sent Mosbacher a list of universities who had indicated they would like to receive fashion donations. Mosbacher’s eye was drawn to Lipscomb because her mother Dorothy Shepherd lives in Nashville.

The shipment to Lipscomb comprised more than 80 boxes of clothing and documents. Included in the assortment were over sixty garments including a large selection of evening dresses. Most of the dresses were runway samples, typically worn by models at a New York fashion show and then put away. Other items included blouses, skirts, suits, jackets, sketch books, water colors, press clippings, order forms, patterns, videos, collection presentations, TV spots and interviews with Halston at the height of his popularity.

The Halston collection is rarely displayed and has only been showcased twice before. In spring 2005, several of the garments were modeled for a fund-raiser held at Lexus of Cool Springs. The fund-raiser was held in honor of Dorothy Shepherd and to raise funds for the storage, display and educational use of the collection at Lipscomb.

In May through August 2005, 17 of the garments and much of the memorabilia were loaned and on display at the Cheekwood Museum of Art in Halston Fits America: Fashion and Innovation from the Collection of Lipscomb University.

Halston: Modern and revolutionary designer of the ‘70s
(The following information was provided by Cheekwood Museum of Art.)

The Halston collection is named after American fashion pioneer and designer, Roy Frowick Halston, who became know simply as Halston.

A photo from the Lipscomb collection depicting model Karen Bjornson with designer Halston.

Halston first entered the fashion scene as a hat designer in the early 1960s. His first hat was featured on the cover of Harpers Bazaar when he was only 28. He is most noted for his design of the pillbox hat, worn by Jackie Kennedy at President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural in 1962. Halston expanded to a full fashion line in 1968 and within seven years became one of the top designers in the world. Halston is famous for creating a minimalist aesthetic which influenced many designers in the late 1980s and ‘90s. Top designers in today’s fashion world such as Gucci’s Tom Ford and Donna Karan still credit Halston as a major influence.

Halston was the first to use print models in runway shows, a precursor to the “supermodel.” He elevated American sportswear to a new level, reinvented the twin sweater set, made ultra suede a staple in the American closet, and helped establish America as a recognizable force in international fashion.

Halston also designed for Hollywood celebrities such as Liz Taylor, Lucille Ball, Lauren Bacall, Liza Minnelli, and Princess Grace, creating clothes that reflected the mix of practicality and glamour during the 1970s.