Medium: Lavender cashmere

Date: c. 1973

Country: USA

Credit: Gift of Elizabeth Pickering Kaiser

Halston has been described as "fashion's first minimalist." Certainly, this long sweater coat and dress in lavender-heathered cashmere is typical of Halston's ultra-modern aesthetic. His color palette was rich and varied, ranging from neutrals like black and camel to red, purple, and royal blue, as well as to pastels such as pink and lavender or lilac. "I like all colors, " Halston said, adding that "for different seasons you have different colors…In summer you wear lighter colors, in winter you wear darker colors." He preferred that every element in an ensemble be matching in color, and he was well aware of the impact that bright colors like red have, especially for women in the public eye. "Superrich women, if they can change their clothes often, like bright, strange colors," he observed. "Women who don't have unlimited funds tend to choose a limited palette of colors like beiges or black and add accent colors."

Object Number: 88.29.2