1970s Halston Black Label Koi Fish Printed Silk Dress

This charismatic black silk dress was designed by legendary New York designer Halston around 1974–1977, a period in which he increasingly experimented with print alongside the beautifully cut, deceptively simple silhouettes for which he was renowned. We have found comparable Halston dresses from these years printed with florals, butterflies and more abstract motifs, supporting the dating of this unusual example.

Tailored from smooth black silk, the dress is printed with painterly koi fish in rich shades of coral, red, stone and emerald green. It has short cap sleeves, a crossover V-neckline and a wide, fitted waistband defining the waist. The wrap-effect skirt is cut to a softly rounded tulip shape, with gentle pleating where it meets the waistband creating volume through the hips before narrowing towards the hem. The dress fastens at the centre back with a concealed black zip and hook-and-eye and is fully lined in black satin.

The quality of the construction is superb, with extensive hand finishing throughout and a level of workmanship more usually associated with his couture dressmaking. Bearing the Halton black label, the dress is in excellent vintage condition and appears to have been barely worn with no issues of any note. There are no surviving size or composition labels and the fabric has no stretch. We believe it is best suited to approximately a UK 8 or US 4. Please refer to the sizing information below to ensure the best fit.

Notes on Designer: Roy Halston Frowick, known simply as Halston, became one of the defining American designers of the 1970s. He first rose to prominence as a milliner at Bergdorf Goodman, famously creating Jacqueline Kennedy’s pillbox hat for the 1961 presidential inauguration, before moving into ready-to-wear and establishing a distinctly American form of luxury based on fluid cutting, exceptional fabrics and apparent simplicity.

His clientele was as celebrated as his clothes. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Liza Minnelli, Babe Paley and Bianca Jagger were friends and loyal clients, while Lauren Bacall wore Halston both privately and on screen; he created twelve complete looks for her 1973 television production of Applause. Elizabeth Taylor was also part of his famous circle of clients and friends. By the mid-1970s, Halston’s clothes had become synonymous with the glamorous New York world surrounding Studio 54.

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 34 in. (86 cm)

WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm)

HIP - 48 in. (122 cm)

LENGTH - 42 in. (107 cm)