5 things to love about Halpern

A native New Yorker, Michael Halpern graduated from Parsons School of Design in 2010, finding his feet at fashion houses J. Mendel and Oscar de la Renta before completing an MA at London’s Central Saint Martins in 2015. Shortly afterwards, Donatella Versace snapped him up to work for Atelier Versace.

There’s even more to Halpern’s craft than meets the eye. The designer is passionate about current affairs and politics, but roots his work in escapism and fantasy. The resulting couture-like pieces are exuberant and joyful, yet modern and infinitely wearable – a fashionable break from reality.

Even with so few collections under his belt, Halpern has already created a signature aesthetic, namely brazenly fun, Studio 54-worthy eveningwear. Expect unapologetic glamour – asymmetric necklines, clashing colors, show-stopping mini dresses, wild flares, embellished jumpsuits and, yes, swathes of sequins.

His first major show – a dazzling sequined collection at London Fashion Week in 2017 – caught the attention and admiration of high-profile fans including Beyoncé, Lupita Nyong’o and Amal Clooney. In December that year, he won the British Emerging Talent prize for womenswear at the Fashion Awards, while Adwoa Aboah collected Model of the Year wearing one of his creations.

The best thing about an all-out party outfit is that you don’t have to overthink your accessories. The clothes are doing all the hard work, so pair them with simple heels and keep the jewelry to a minimum. That way, you won’t distract from those sequins, which will be sparkling all night long.