Congratulations on your new role! How did it come about?
I was approached by Bonnie Takhar [president and CEO of Halston] who had been searching for a long time for someone to fill the position. Floriane de Saint Pierre [iconic head-hunter for the fashion industry] actually put us in contact. She's a very clever woman with regards to putting the right people with the right brands. We talked and signed the contract one month ago so I have had to keep it a secret. It's such a legendary brand with a very loyal following and for me it was very tempting to look at the brand again.
Who is the Halston woman?
She's the girl who wants to have fun, she is individual and looks for the fantasy of fashion which has been lacking for a while. My first memory of Halston is of Bianca Jagger riding the white horse into Studio 54 on her birthday. It's such an iconic image. She defined the brand.
Who would you like to see wearing Halston now?
This is something I don't want to answer right now because I'm building up its DNA and beginning to shape the future of Halston. It is one of my dreams come true and so the woman who represents the brand I want to keep as a surprise.
What do you hope to achieve with the label?
Although I love the history of the brand I want to bring a modern twist and we have to move on. Roy Halston [the founder] wouldn't still be repeating what he was doing in the 70s now. I want to bring a fresh element to it while cultivating the true DNA of the brand. All aspects should be modern and fresh. Clothes are a communication tool and I want to create something special.
Can we expect a sexier "Marios Schwab" silhouette?
Of course, it's always about sexy.
What kind of brief have you been given?
They have left me the creative freedom. Bonnie shares lots of my opinions about the brand. She completely understands my world and we fit perfectly together.Are people still spending money on designer labels in the recession?
You have to create something that the customer feels an emotional attachment to when she looks at it and wears it. Individuality is such an important key to brands today and one of the reasons London fashion week did so well this year. The craftsmanship and creative freedom is so important at the moment. By being innovative you can keep customers.
How do you get inspiration for your labels?
It's a very different process for each one. Marios Schwab is a conceptual label and remains feminine and desirable and has elegance with a twist. Halston on the other hand is glamorous and about the fantasy. It is effortless, cool and elegant; that's what first comes to my mind, that decadent lifestyle that I want to be a part of Halston in the future. It's such a unique label. I want to give the fantasy but in a way that the girl feels free to bring out their own personality.
Do you worry about the extremely short amount of time (only one or two seasons) creative directors are given to make their mark?
It's very important to find the perfect match. I wouldn't commit to something if I wasn't honest with myself and the brand first. It's important to connect to what you do especially when you are a creative. This [his collaboration with Halston] is the perfect match and ideal partnership. It was an honour to be asked. Nowadays there is a lot more movement from one fashion house to another but that's interesting. It's good to see different perspectives and to see how different people view different brands.
What's exciting right now in fashion?
Going through the recession means that people are having to shape their own opinion and that has definitely been lacking recently. Instead people have been looking up to specific people that they would aspire to be like but it's not being themselves. Innovation is such an important tool. There is a change every 10 or 15 years and that is what is happening now. It's exciting to go through because people are more likely to push the boundaries and I always love taking risks. It's really interesting at the moment. It's evolving very fast. In any business at the moment you need to be sharp and have an innovative way of doing things.
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