Antonio x Halston x Charles James
After binge watching the new Halston mini-series on Netflix, we couldn’t help but do a deep dive into the archives to revisit how Antonio and Halston crossed paths in the years they spent co-mingling in New York City’s jet-set circles. It was expected that their lives overlapped on more than one occasion, but we didn’t anticipate discovering an overlooked moment in fashion history from 1969 when the two came together to work in a one-off collaboration with Charles James.
Antonio and Juan first met Charles around 1963 at The Leather Man boutique on Christopher Street (Charles was having leather pants made, A & J were making belts). At the time, Antonio was a recent FIT drop out with a burgeoning career, and although Charles was thirty years his senior, they embarked on a working relationship together that lasted until Charles’ death in 1978. Over the course of 15 years, Antonio and Juan would go to Charles’ home intermittently for hours-long drawing sessions, and in that time they produced 150-200 drawings that serve as a stunning catalogue of some of James’ most influential designs (many of which were donated to the Chicago History Museum and can be seen here)
Charles' relationship with Halston went back even further, to 1958. The two originally met in Chicago, but when the young Roy Halston Frowick landed in New York City shortly thereafter, James secured him a job with milliner Lily Dache. As Steven Gaines notes in Vanity Fair “Halston was enthralled by him. For a long period they had dinner two or three nights a week, and James became a confidant and mentor to the young milliner. James was grand, Halston became grander. James’s favorite champagne was Moët & Chandon; it became Halston’s favorite. James’s favorite flowers were orchids; orchids would become not only Halston’s favorite flower but his trademark bloom.”
Halston, New York City, c. 1975. Photo by Antonio
Charles James, New York City, c. 1975. Photo by Antonio
By 1969, the best years of James' career were already behind him. A high-profile legal battle with Samuel Winston, Inc and a mass produced ready-to-wear line for Korvettes had tarnished his reputation, and the once lauded couturier was residing in a crowded three room live/work atelier in The Chelsea Hotel with his beagle, Sputnik. James was infamously difficult to work for and with, but the sheer magnitude of his talent attracted artists and designers who recognized his ground breaking pattern making and his capacity to elevate fashion into fine art. Antonio and Halston were chief among them - and in December of that year, the three artists joined forces on a singular project for the first and only time.
Charles had spent much of the previous decade buying back some of his designs from the 20s, 30s, and 40s, and was storing them at The Art Student’s League with the intention of donating them to the Smithsonian. As a fundraiser, he wanted to create a multi-media presentation at the iconic east village nightclub, The Electric Circus, showcasing his signature looks from 1929 - 1969 accompanied by large scale visual projections. Ever supportive of his friend and mentor, Halston funded and produced the entire event.
“Halston introduced Charles that evening and the room was packed. There were 4 to 6 projectors, Antonio’s drawings of Charles’ designs, with Charles’ personal fashion and erotic drawings projected during the fashion show on the wall as each model came out on to the stage.”
While we weren’t able to locate any further documentation of the night (although rumor has it Bill Cunningham was there with his camera…), we were able to trace back the evening in a series of Antonio’s diary entries which recount the friends — and friends of friends — who made an appearance in the days leading up to and during the event.
Sunday, December 14, 1969
New York City – Cold Rain
Up at 3:00 PM
Got dressed – Peter made breakfast – for Sergio, Juan, and I. Then picked up Kurt – taxi to Kenny Lane’s – to a cocktail party for Maxime’s mother’s art exhibition – then taxi 3:00 home – cleaned up for the party – fabulous time – guests were – Denis Degan, Mush, Kenny Lane, Halston, Alan Dahl, Catherine M., Elsa, Mattie – Jessie Reiner – Mrs. Kaiser – Larissa, George & girl – Peter – Sergio, Val – Susan, Ann (?), China Machado + Bernard – Jed, Andy Warhol, Fred Hughes – Jane – Giorgio Michel – Dr. Santos – 5 people – Martin – Eddie – Parri – Dewey – Jack. Jackie Rodgers – Edward + Lawrence – Cathee, - Bill C, Maxime + John, Louise + Alexis, Kohn Vercy + friend - 2 rich ladies + others. Lots of others.
To bed at 3:30 AM.
Monday, December 15, 1969
New York City – Cold
Up at 12:30 PM. I got dressed went to see Ann Hill – check for $40. Then met Peter – lunch – he went for passport – then home – send clothes to be cleaned – then worked – Mush came + Bill C.
Taxi - to Electric Circus – Inga, Kurt, Juan and I – things went well – I hate Charles – all models were there. Jane – Carol la Brie – Betty Maybry - Naomi and others. We went to see Matie’s paintings in chapel at Catherine Millinaire – in Halston’s Cadillac. B. Berenson + Cherrie Reiner – Levine – Ann, Kurt, Bill, Juan and I – Nice time
Stayed at Max’s – looks awful
Taxi home – dinner at Inga’s - Then more work – finished number 4 for Vogue Patterns – to bed at 3:00 AM
Tuesday, December 16, 1969
Donna’s Birthday
Charles Show! Fucking Waste
New York - cold
Up at 12:00 –
Left the house at 3:00 to Ingeborg – wasted afternoon as usual – then Denis come – the 3 of us taxi $2 to William Buckley’s for a cocktail party to (?) Charles James – met Peggy Moffitt and Halston + persuaded her to wear the four leaf clover dress of Charles which is famous.
Taxi to circus – the show began late – and I think a success.- my drawings were shown to late – looked terrible for me – Juan got very upset as usual – Bus to Max’s – I paid $50 I bought food for the models in the show – charged it – then Taxi Home – to bed at 2:00 AM.
It comes as no surprise that there was at least a little in-fighting between the trio. On the event poster gifted to Antonio, Charles unceremoniously crossed out Halston’s name. Perhaps it was an indication of the resentment between them that boiled over in the decade to follow. In 1970, Charles and Halston had a falling out that they never recovered from. And although Antonio, Juan, and Charles remained friends until his death, we can’t help but laugh at the inscription in his diary: “Charles Show! Fucking waste… looked terrible for me – Juan got very upset as usual.”
And the dresses? After the presentation at The Electric Circus they were sent to the Cooper Hewitt for transfer of the collection to the Smithsonian. Unfortunately, the museum ultimately decided they only wanted to take 10 of the best garments and Charles refused to break them up. Homer went to pick them up in his car and back they went to the studio. When Charles passed away everything remained with Homer (stored in wardrobes and under his bed) until nearly 50 years later when the Metropolitan Museum acquired all of them for their 2014 exhibition Charles James: Beyond Fashion.