Detroit-born Kevan Hall's fashion creativity emerged early. By the age of seven, he knew he wanted to be a fashion designer. After attending Cass Technical High School in Detroit, where he studied fashion design, he won first place as "Designer of Tomorrow" - a scholarship sponsored by the Los Angeles-based Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. While studying in California, he made a vision-enhancing trip to Europe, where at the houses of Cardin, Dior and most notably, Givenchy his lifelong love of luxury and haute couture was once again sparked. Upon graduation from the Fashion Institute, he received the Peacock Award for “Outstanding Fashion Design".In 1982, Hall with his wife and partner, Deborah launched Kevan Hall Couture. His collection melded a more relaxed couture look with sensible pricing that pleased retailers like Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, I. Magnin and other fine stores nationwide.
Hall was nominated in 1988 by fashion retailers and the press as one of California’s Top Designers. In 1989, he was not only included in the “Soul on Seventh Avenue” show sponsored by Fairchild Publications, but was also chosen by the NAACP to receive their “Great American Designer” award. In 1990, his participation in the national Absolut Vodka campaign featured in Vanity Fair underscored his broad-based appeal. In 1992, he was honored by the Center of Performing Arts in Southern California with a 10-year fashion retrospective. For many, this would be a career capper. For Hall, it was only a stepping stone as he branched out into motion pictures, acting as costume consultant on 1997’s “Gridlock” and “Eve’s Bayou” (the most successful independent film of the year).
Redefining glamour for a new generation is an interpretive art. Redefining the hallowed house of Halston into the next millennium was an even more challenging task. But Kevan Hall--who stepped into the prestigious position of Design and Creative Director from fall 1998 - spring 2000 revived the dormant brand to its former glory. His sleek eveningwear was worn by a distinguished coterie of celebrated artists- including Celine Dion, Sharon Stone, Angela Bassett, Charlize Theron, and Salma Hayek.
In 2002, he launched his own signature, Kevan Hall Collection with a fashion philosophy that emphasizes purity of style, incomparable tailoring and sensuously draped streamlined silhouettes; Hall has a natural design sense of sophisticated elegance and uncluttered modern design. Hall’s designs have been embraced by fashion retailers and the press. In 2001, Absolut Vodka honored Hall by showcasing his spring collection in their “Tribute to African Designers” worldwide tour. His lovely atelier in Los Angeles was featured in the July 2002 issue of Interior Design magazine. It confirmed his keen eye for design and impeccable color sense. Also in 2002, Hall won the 47th Annual Gold Coast Fashion Award in Chicago as “Designer of the Year”. In 2005, Hall was awarded “Stylemaker of the Year” by Life & Style Magazine for his ‘drop-dead glamour’ as seen on the red carpet with Felicity Huffman, Vivica A. Fox, Virginia Madsen, Garcelle Beauvais, Debra Messing and Renee Zellweger.
Hall has made guest appearances on national TV shows such as Inside Edition, The Better Half, SoapTalk, the Jane Pauley Show and Extreme Makeover where he discussed fashion‘s current trends. He has given lectures at the Norman Lear Center of the University of Southern California and for the Costume Council at the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art on his inspirations and influences when designing his collection.
With his own Signature collection, his philosophy of fashion has remained true to those early days. "I enjoy the process of design from concept to execution," he states. "But the most gratifying part is seeing a design come to life on a beautiful woman." Rejecting trends and fads in favor of a lasting signature look, Hall's hallmark of glamour with a modern sensibility is a priceless gift to the welcoming world.
from KevanHallDesigns.com
