Born 1930 in Alliance, Ohio, American fashion designer George Halley hitchhiked to New York City to pursue his interest in fashion at the age of 18 in 1949. His first job in New York was as an assistant to Baron Max von Waldeck, a designer from Austria.
Halley never received formal training, but did work for Charles James, Jo Copeland for Pattullo, Andrew Arkin, Richard and Sidney Blauner, Jeunesse, Tzaims Luksus, and Jane Derby, as well as the photographer Richard Avedon. While Halley was working for Arkin, Diana Vreeland, the editor-in-chief of Vogue at the time, saw a dress of Halley’s that she liked. Afterwards, she often gave him space in her magazine, and once wrote him that seeing his dresses provided “the greatest possible pleasure.” Among the women he designed for were Dionne Warwick, Julie Andrews, Lauren Bacall, Julie Wilson, and Alexis Smith.
Halley’s 1968 collection won the Coty award and made him known in fashion circles throughout the U.S. He opened his fashion house on West 56th Street in Manhattan. His label lasted for about ten years. These vintage photos captured portraits of classic beauties wearing fashion designs by George Halley in the 1960s.
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| Samantha Jones is wearing gold-painted orange silk dinner pyjamas by George Halley, photo by Bert Stern for Vogue, 1967 |
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| Astrid Schiller is wearing a black little jibba banded and trimmed in gold over black jersey pants by George Halley, photo by Avedon, Vogue, 1966 |
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| French singer Françoise Hardy in short chiffon dress in large color blocks of magenta, green and purple, the dress is thinly strapped bared to a V, with matching scarf by George Halley, photo by Richard Avedon, Vogue, March 1, 1967 |
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| Isa Stoppi in deep powder-blue crushed velvet caftan traced with silver flowers and richly braided by George Halley, jewelry by Jules Van Rouge, mules by Herbert Levine, photo by Neal Barr, Harper’s Bazaar, October 1967 |
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| Lovely Samantha Jones in a beguiling chiffon dress with encrusted jeweled flowers by George Halley, photo by Penn for Vogue, 1967 |
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