Ewan McGregor set to star in limited Netflix series based on the rise and fall of New York fashion icon Roy Halston Frowick.
The new Netflix show is a limited series Simply Halston which centres on the life of legendary American designer Roy Halston Frowick, best known as ‘Halston’. Simply Halston, written by The Affair’s Sharr White and directed by American Crime Story’s Daniel Minahan, will be starring Ewan McGregor as Halston.
In a recent Instagram post, successful producer Ryan Murphy announced his latest series Simply Halston has began production.
He wrote: “After 20 long years of twists and turns, the limited series Halston starring Ewan McGregor began production today.”
Simply Halston tells a thoroughly researched rise and fall story of the fashion icon Roy Halston Frowick, or “Halston” through speaking to the designer’s old friends and former assistants.
Halston – Fashion Royalty
Halston was famously known for his clean minimalistic designs that inspired the fashion of that era. It catered for both a laid back lifestyle of American women and a glitzy, youthful energy of the disco generation. His fashion pieces include six ply cashmere turtleneck sweaters, halter gowns and ultrasuede shirtwaist dresses.
He had began his career as a milliner, before rising to fame after designing the First Lady Jackie Kennedy’s pink pillbox hat during the presidential inauguration in 1961. Many famous women in Hollywood modeled his brand as he became the first American celebrity designer. Halston had then created women’s wear line for many famous women in Hollywood, becoming a household name that was associated with the fashion scene of the 70s and 80s.
His mind proved to be way ahead of his time, creating dresses in fabrics that were not typical and the style often too fashion forward and ‘too sexy’ for the conservative era of the 1960s. Ultrasuede was one of the fabrics that he had famously used in his dresses, for its beautiful, washable and durable quality.
However the downfall of the designer’s career was due to his notorious wild drug fuelled parties in his New York home. He eventually spiralled down into drug abuse and later lost control of his company and died of AIDs complications.
Ewan McGregor Steps into Halston’s Shoes
In addition to McGregor, Simply Halston will star Krysta Rodriguez as Halston’s best friend and muse, Lisa Minnelli, Rory Culkin as Joel Shumacher and Halston’s on and off boyfriend Victor Hugo is played by Gianfranco Ferré.
Fans are eager to learn the characters who will play the ‘Halstonettes”- the 1970’s style icons who modelled his designs- Lauren Bacall, Margaux Heminway, Liza Minnelli, Biance Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor.
Mcgregor has been notably famed for his villainous Black Mask role alongside Margot Robbie in Birds of Prey. Ewan had played a wide range of roles over his career. However he looked unlike his usual self as he got into character of the fashion designer, he was dressed in a leather jacket and a silver buckle bet with long dark hair swept back when he arrived on set, sporting different hairstyles to portray the different lifestages of the designer.
Fan are excited to watch the Simply Halston, however as the series is under production, it remains unclear when the limited series will be released however it is expected to premier in 2021.
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