major success was the shirtdress made from Ultrasuede, an imitation leather material manufactured in Japan that Halston referred to as "leatherette." He promoted the garment's practicality by noting that it was machine washable. Approximately 50,000 shirtwaist dresses were sold, and Ultrasuede became a fashion staple for many years.

In 1972, Halston received unprecedented media attention for a fashion designer when Newsweek published a nine-page