The party doesn’t stop at dawn for Michael Halpern; the ascendant designer has built his eponymous label on sequins meant to be worn any time of day. The good times continue with Halpern’s spring collection, which boasts glittery trousers, shimmering, deep-blue mini dresses and animal prints.
After his graduation from Central Saint Martins two years ago, Halpern worked under Donatella Versace, whose influence can be seen in Halpern’s penchant for bold patterns and high-octane glamour. But if Versace represents nostalgia for the ’80s and ’90s, Halpern takes it back to the sensuous ’70s, offering distinct silhouettes such as a highly embellished jumpsuit.
If Halpern’s work didn’t already have us running to the discothèque, other designers are also making a case for all-day clubwear. (See: Tom Ford’s sequined frocks, Marc Jacobs’s floor-length glittering gowns, and Coach’s mid-length sequined skirts.) Even Yves Saint Laurent, long known for grunge-chic, is pivoting more to sequin-studded glamour under Anthony Vaccarello’s reign.
But Halpern’s dedication to the decade, not only as a glossy going-out aesthetic, but as a subversive daywear eye-grabber, remains unmatched. Glistening, yet angular; dramatic, yet fresh: such is the spirit of the modern-day disco.
