{"id":46491,"date":"2011-08-17T07:00:57","date_gmt":"2011-08-17T12:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/?p=46491"},"modified":"2025-12-09T17:31:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T00:31:32","slug":"halston-jcpenney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/shopping-guide\/halston-jcpenney\/","title":{"rendered":"The history of budget fashion: Halston for jcpenney"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Before Jaclyn Smith brought fashion to the style starved aisles of Kmart, before Isaac Mizrahi helped change Target to <em>Target<\/em> <em>(pronounced with a French Accent)<\/em>, the king of disco era fashion, Roy Halston, debuted a line at the venerable department store JCPenney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Halston III line for JCPenney debuted in stores in 1983, and with it the first truly <strong>masstige fashion line<\/strong>, a mass market fashion line developed\/licensed by a high-end designer or brand, was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Halston III for jcpenney commercial circa 1983\/1984<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"nv-iframe-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"1984 J.C. Penny Halston III Commercial\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/54OH6oGvSfI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The line was a big hit, which promptly \u201cdowngraded\u201d the Halston brand in the eyes of elite New York stores like Bergdorf Goodman, who, along with others higher end department stores, stopped selling the higher priced Halston lines. The Halston brand became a household name, but lost its prestige (this was before internet stores like Bluefly and even outlet malls, both of which made <a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/archive\/brand-names-for-less\/\">designer brands<\/a> more accessible to the masses).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ahead of his time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately for Halston, he was 30 years too early. In a fashionable twist of irony, almost 30 years to the date that Halston launched his line for JCPenney, Isaac Mizrahi launched his eponymous line with Target. Interestingly, Mizrahi\u2019s line with Target was far more successful that the designer&#8217;s higher priced lines at stores like Barneys.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"204\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/models-designer.jpg\" alt=\"Models Designer\" class=\"wp-image-46501\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>A generation later, the fall out from the Halston III at JcPenney line continues to have a negative impact on licensing decisions by designers. At a New York Times Talk in 2009, uber designer Marc Jacobs discussed the impact that Halston\u2019s line at JC Penney has had on his licensing decisions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWhen I got into this business, licensing was a big thing. I don\u2019t think that it\u2019s about that anymore. One doesn\u2019t have to sign themselves up for this lifestyle their mugs in their kitchen will reflect. I remember when Halston did that thing with JCPenney, it was very bad for his couture business.\u201d (source: Joelle Lifestyle)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>While Jacobs may continue to resist the urge to create a masstige line, other designers, most notably Karl Lagerfeld, have embraced the concept (and the cash that comes with it). For up and coming designers like Proenza Schouler and Zac Posen, both of whom had a collection with Target, a masstige line is a way to expand brand awareness, while also creating an entry point for your higher priced brands.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston.png\" alt=\"Collage of Halston-desgined evening gowns.\" class=\"wp-image-1637705\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston.png 768w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-500x281.png 500w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-720x405.png 720w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-320x180.png 320w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-735x413.png 735w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-335x188.png 335w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-347x195.png 347w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-520x293.png 520w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-640x360.png 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Halston <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Roy Halston died in 1990, but the Halston brand carried on. In 2007, Harvey Weinstein&#8217;s company along with Hilco Consumer Capital LLC purchased the brand. It struggled for a few years under that ownership team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2010, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecut.com\/2011\/07\/sarah_jessica_parker_isnt_work.html\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sarah Jessica Parker<span class=\"wpil-link-icon\" title=\"Link goes to external site.\" style=\"margin: 0 0 0 5px;\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"height:16px; width:16px; fill:#000000; stroke:#000000; display:inline-block;\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:svg=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><g id=\"wpil-svg-outbound-7-icon-path\" fill=\"none\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_31_188)\">\r\n                            <path d=\"M9.16724 14.8891L20.1672 3.88908\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/>\r\n                            <path d=\"M13.4497 3.53554L20.5208 3.53554L20.5208 10.6066\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                            <path d=\"M17.5 13.5L17.5 16.26C17.5 17.4179 17.5 17.9968 17.2675 18.4359C17.0799 18.7902 16.7902 19.0799 16.4359 19.2675C15.9968 19.5 15.4179 19.5 14.26 19.5L7.74 19.5C6.58213 19.5 6.0032 19.5 5.56414 19.2675C5.20983 19.0799 4.92007 18.7902 4.73247 18.4359C4.5 17.9968 4.5 17.4179 4.5 16.26L4.5 9.74C4.5 8.58213 4.5 8.0032 4.73247 7.56414C4.92007 7.20983 5.20982 6.92007 5.56414 6.73247C6.0032 6.5 6.58213 6.5 7.74 6.5L11 6.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/>\r\n                        <\/g>\r\n                        <defs>\r\n                            <clipPath id=\"clip0_31_188\">\r\n                                <rect fill=\"white\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\"\/>\r\n                            <\/clipPath>\r\n                        <\/defs><\/svg><\/span><\/a>&nbsp;got involved in a design role. SJP didn&#8217;t last long, however &#8212; she walked away less than two years after taking the job. Weinstein had also severed ties at that point. Parker didn&#8217;t address why she left publicly until years later. And then, she only implied that the brand was so broken she couldn&#8217;t fix it. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"898\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2.jpg\" alt=\"Woman wearing white satin jumpsuit by Halston.\" class=\"wp-image-1637702\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2-301x450.jpg 301w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2-224x335.jpg 224w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2-232x347.jpg 232w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2-347x520.jpg 347w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2-428x640.jpg 428w, https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston2-513x768.jpg 513w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Halston in the modern era.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You can still buy Halston pieces today. The line-up in 2021 still has that classic feel to it. Think wide-legged pants,  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/archive\/jumpsuit-artistix-inspired\/\">jumpsuits<\/a>, drape details, crepe, and silk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also get the juicy &#8212; and fictionalized &#8212; scoop on Roy Halston&#8217;s wild lifestyle in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/80245103\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Netflix series titled Halston<span class=\"wpil-link-icon\" title=\"Link goes to external site.\" style=\"margin: 0 0 0 5px;\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"height:16px; width:16px; fill:#000000; stroke:#000000; display:inline-block;\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:svg=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"#wpil-svg-outbound-7-icon-path\"><\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before Jaclyn Smith brought fashion to the style starved aisles of Kmart, before Isaac Mizrahi helped change Target to Target (pronounced with a French Accent), the king of disco era fashion, Roy Halston, debuted a line at the venerable department store JCPenney. The Halston III line for JCPenney debuted in stores in 1983, and with&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/shopping-guide\/halston-jcpenney\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The history of budget fashion: Halston for jcpenney<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1637705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-shopping-guide"],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":1637705,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/halston-300x169.png"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46491\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1637705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}