Basically Everything About the Battle of Versailles Fashion Show

I wasn't truly sold on Halston until the second episode, aptly titled "Versailles," and its exploration of Halston's journey to taking part in the legendary Battle of Versailles fashion show [7]. I couldn't take my eyes off of Halston and crew as they strolled into the Paris airport to meet up with the other American designers set to compete. Seeing Halston amongst the likes of Oscar de la Renta, Stephen Burrows, Bill Blass, and Anne Klein really amped up the drama — especially when Halston realises he's been duped by Eleanor Lambert.

Did I start tearing up when Halston got his standing ovation from the French fashion crowd? You bet your ass I did. The episode also led me down a rabbit hole to learn more about the show in general, including how 10 out of the American designers' 36 models [8] were Black, which was unprecedented at the time.

How the Show Could've Also Been Called Liza

OK, it was never going to be called "Liza," but Liza Minnelli and Halston's friendship is front and centre throughout the five-episode mini-series. The chemistry between Ewan McGregor [9]'s Halston and Krysta Rodriguez's Liza feels genuine and earnest. I often found myself pausing during their scenes to look up the real-life events and see just how close the pair were. Turns out, they remained lifelong friends until his death in 1990. "We got along instantly [10], and he became my fashion mate. I did what he said. He really took care of me," Liza previously shared in an interview with Harper's Bazaar.

Studio 54 and the Non-Stop Party That Came With It

Halston sees Studio 54 as the beginning of the end for the designer, who didn't know how to curb his addictive tendencies and need for admiration from those around him. He'll always be associated with the glamour and glitz of the late, great nightclub thanks to the A-listers who wore his pieces, including Bianca Jagger, Liza Minnelli, Cher, and Anjelica Huston.

I don't think I'll ever be able to get the image of the "coke phone" out of my head, though, but I guess that's what happens when life's a non-stop party fuelled by cocaine. If you haven't looked up the history of Studio 54 and what it was like during its heyday, I'd highly recommend it. Giant puffy coats, tons of glitter, Jagger on a horse, and the sex balcony [11] are just a few of the very real things that went down from 1977 to the club's first closure in 1979.

Gian Franco Rodriguez's Emphatic Portrayal of Victor Hugo

The name Victor Hugo might bring to mind the author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, however, Halston's Victor Hugo is a Venezuelan-born artist and window dresser that was Halston's lover for nearly 16 years [12]. Each and every time Rodriguez was on screen, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Perhaps that's what the real Victor, who died in 1993, would've wanted.

However, for the weirdest scene involving Victor, Rodriguez isn't even there. During the search for the perfect scent for his signature perfume, Halston has perfumer Adele (Vera Farmiga) sniff Victor's well-worn jockstrap for inspiration. Much like the previously mentioned "coke phone," the image of Farmiga essentially huffing the jockstrap is now seared into my brain.

The Fact That Joel Schumacher Had a Role in All of This

I consider myself a Joel Schumacher fan. I even count The Lost Boys, Batman & Robin, and The Phantom of the Opera as some of my favourite films — yes, my tastes are eclectic. Yet, when I learned Rory Culkin would be portraying Joel Schumacher on Halston, I had no idea it was THAT Joel Schumacher. It makes sense that Culkin's time on the miniseries is basically a blip as Joel hated fashion [13] and eventually became the campy director behind the infamous "Bat-nipples [14]".

Schumacher even once told The Guardian, "I really don't think that Halston needed us at all [15]. It was his vision and of course it was an overnight success." What the Netflix series doesn't show, is that the two remained friends until Halston's death, with Schumacher adding, "He was one of the most loving, kindest friends I've ever had [16]."