If anyone is a fashion connoisseur, it’s Cameron Silver.
The Beverly Hills-born, New York-based stylist, jet-setter and head-to-toe fashionisto infiltrated the red carpet with his Los Angeles store Decades, a vintage boutique that revolutionized the city’s style scene and has been draping the stars in couture for — wait for it — nearly a decade.
He shares his knowledge in “Decades: A Century of Style,” a book that’s been coined the “fashion bible,” and on Bravo!’s “Dukes of Melrose,” which follows his travels to faraway cities, where he purchases exclusive pieces for Decades.
But now the founder of the iconic store has joined forces with an iconic brand as the fashion director of Lord & Taylor’s exclusive H Halston, as well as H by Halston, exclusively for QVC.
Both were inspired by Halston, as Roy Halston Frowick (1932-90) was known. He rose to fame first as a hatmaker — designing the iconic pillbox hat that Jacqueline Kennedy wore to John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration — and then as perhaps the fashion designer of the 1970s, dressing everyone from Jackie to Liz (Taylor) to Liza with a Z (Minnelli).
Halston was one of the first designers to license his name, an experiment whose time has come. Silver is similarly forward-thinking, bringing fresh looks to H Halston that are in line with current trends, though reminiscent of the brand’s sportswear origins.
WAG takes five with Silver to learn about his plans for H Halston, his take on style and his inspiration.
Why did you decide to embark on this journey with H Halston?
“Halston is the first American luxury brand and Lord & Taylor is the iconic original luxury retailer. Both names carry a tremendous amount of heritage. We had the opportunity to fuse these together and jumped at it. It resulted in a modern, fashion-forward collection that constantly offers newness and keeps the customer coming back for more.”
How does it feel taking the helm as the fashion director of such an iconic brand?
“I feel a sense of responsibility to continue the mythology of Halston historically, and excited to bring the brand well into a dynamic second decade of the 21st century.”
Do you think people will always associate Halston with the 1970s and Studio 54, regardless of the style changes?
“There’s a naïveté to only equate Halston with just the 1970s and Studio 54 aesthetic, since his sartorial impact stretches many decades and, although he captured the zeitgeist of the disco nightlife, Halston impacted women’s day wardrobes with a refreshing American effortless sportswear sensitivity that continues to inspire us today.”
If there is one piece of advice that you can offer to the modern fashionista and fashionisto, what is it, and why?
“Stand up straight. It all begins with what’s underneath… and sometimes just standing up straight can transform your look.”
What inspires you?
“I am always inspired by everyone. It sounds gratuitous, but I am a keen people-watcher and constantly observing men and women, from airports to supermarkets.”
For more about H Halston, visit lordandtaylor.
