When I entered room #43 at the Chateau Marmont at 10AM Saturday morning, I felt a bit as though I had trespassed into a young woman’s room… she had packed too many clothes for her short trip to Los Angeles, and she simply had them sorted on racks in the living room area. Perhaps the night before she had some friends over, sipping St. Germain cocktails and sampling bite-sized desserts-her friends, of course, also then helped her decide her outfit for the next day, while they modeled a few pieces themselves.

Nappa gunmetal studded tuxedo jacket, jersey cowl pant in cobalt, snakeskin sandal. Image released with permission from Halston.

All of this flashed through my mind before I had been given a proper introduction to the collection.

Halston, one of the most iconic and legendary brands in American history, was re-launched last season under the watchful eyes of Harvey Weinstein, Tamara Mellon and Rachel Zoe. With a plethora of great American designers today, what could Halston now contribute to American fashion? Perhaps many of us growing up in the 21^st century have forgotten, but Halston, in the 70’s and now, has always exuded feminine simplicity and refined, Hollywood elegance.

3. Halston4-appr.jpg = Black alpaca long coat, silk tie-back minidress in citron, python thigh-high studded boot in black. Image released with permission from Halston.

As I perused the first rack, comprising rich hues of forest green, cobalt blue and blue-violet, each silk jersey gown (in a heavier weight for fall) and cashmere sweater was specially cut to be flattering on every type of woman’s body. Each color would complement a female’s skin tone and hair tone as well-it was amazing to see how easily runway pieces (for once) could translate to the ordinary consumer. And each piece was suitable for a woman of any age, another rarity in a designer collection. My 5-feet-tall, 50-year-old Asian mother would look chic and sophisticated in the dolman-sleeve, oversized cardigan I was wearing as a dress with my Alexander Wang sandal booties. The gowns, too, featured leather straps and cut-outs underneath the armhole, ending just a few inches above the waist; a simple change of accessories and shoes could make both Jennifer Hudson and Debra Messing happy.

Silk crepe and nubuck asymmetric tie dress in cobalt. Image released with permission from Halston.

Two more racks along the wall held a few statement pieces, including a studded leather jacket, a mini dress in their black-and-white degrade “Storm” print, a stunning metal paillette-covered coat, a fluorescent yellow, off-shouldered tunic, all of which were nods to female rock stars of the ’80s, but could easily be integrated into an existing wardrobe. Did I mention none of these pieces require rocket science to decipher?

Halston’s accessories also deserve individual attention as well. Clutches splashed with fur added a dose of high-impact without stealing attention from the individual carrying them, and stilettos with thick straps in cheetah print and patent leather acknowledged the ’80s rock trend prevalent throughout Fall’s collections. Most notably, a slinky, python scarf that could be worn around the neck or wrapped around the waist added a fresh edge to the collection. By the time I had hopped back into my car, I was craving for one of those scarves in a cobalt color to add some shock value into my closet.

Silk crepe scarf dress in black/white degrade. Image released with permission from Halston.

The design house of Halston is following its own path. It was vital to see the clothes at the serene Chateau Marmont, its backdrop matching Halston’s aesthetic of relaxed and effortless splendor. And to see Dree Hemingway prance through downtown barefoot, in a flowing silk chiffon gown, everyone, from coast to coast, could see just how inimitable the Halston brand is and was.

Without sacrificing an awareness of trends, the renewed design house is still creating and edging forward with the same luxurious and quietly glamorous clothing that all women, regardless of age, can continuously rely on for a certain discreet, yet classically feminine allure.

For the Fall 2009 video, please visit Halston.com.

Halston is carried in select Neiman Marcus stores (In Los Angeles, you can visit the store on Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills) and exclusively at net-a-porter.com.