You don’t get to be one of Atlanta’s well-known retailers by sitting idly by, and Bill Hallman is working overtime to make 2009 a banner year.
For almost 20 years, Hallman has served the fashion world with clothing collections that at one time sold in 75 boutiques around the globe, as well as his own retail stores in Virginia-Highland and Little Five Points.
This year, he outfitted staffers at the W Atlanta Downtown’s Living Room, opened a new retail outpost in Buckhead with plans for another store in the Midtown area, and relaunched the Bill Hallman clothing collection for men and women. He did all of this while taking time to mentor Atlanta’s young designers and retailers-in-training at a new in-public-view studio.
When reflecting on his hiatus from design, Hallman is philosophical. “I stopped designing in 2000. I have to be mentally there. I have to be inspired and have the energy to do it in addition to running two stores,” he said.
With his retail empire expanding, now seemed the right time to stage a comeback, he said.
The Buckhead store targets a “sexy, fashion girl,” with some new lines for women such as Eva Franco out of Los Angeles and the collection of Israeli designer Lia Kes. For men, Hallman stocks Robert Geller and Zachary Prell, among other brands. But the goal, he said, is for 30 percent of the store to be the Bill Hallman collection.
His designs this season are heavy into brocade. “Maybe it’s the influence of my daughter,” said Hallman, showing off the poufy princesslike skirts designed by his 5-year-old, which will be sold in sizes 3T to 5T under the brand name Eva Florence.
For his women’s collection, Hallman’s signature dress features an elastic waistline that connects a top with a cut-out back to a full or tailored skirt (or shorts), a version of which has become the cocktail wardrobe at Living Room in the W Atlanta Downtown. Hallman has also been turning out jackets with strong shoulders and reversible jackets with mink-like rayon velvet on one side and lurex brocade on the other. Another Hallman standout is a versatile silk charmeuse dress that can be worn loose or with a belt, and on or off the shoulder.
For guys, Hallman wanted to fill out his offerings with garments he felt were missing from the store — mainly, trousers. His trouser line comes in three different fits and hopefully will get guys into a new mode of dressing. “It’s transitioning them from jeans to trousers without them realizing it,” he said. A skinny version is for the fashion-oriented guy, a straight leg version will suit most guys and a relaxed cut is designed for guys with heavier thighs.
In the back of the store, a small window reveals the studio where interns can be seen working on their designs — demystifying the process of making clothes. “It is interesting to walk in and see production happening,” Hallman said. “It especially doesn’t happen in Atlanta.”
Hallman hopes to have the students spend two months working on a mini collection of six to eight items that then will be sold in the store. “The main emphasis is design, with my guidance,” he said, but “it is important to understand the retail element, to understand what people want. That’s the benefit they get here that they wouldn’t get at most places.”
On a recent afternoon, Amanda Soeder, a May graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, sat working on her collection of mix and match pieces for the holidays. Her sketches included party dresses and leggings with trends such as high-waists and big shoulders, all of which she considers youthful but appropriate for a range of ages.
The student interns are charged with designing, draping and making patterns for their garments before the items are outsourced to Hallman’s manufacturer. One area where many design students’ skills are weak is in grading garments, said Hallman, who has worked with a number of interns over the years. And many students have overactive imaginations. “The one thing I’ve seen is a lot of designing things that are difficult to produce,” he said.
Soeder has already faced a few challenges. She and Hallman had to redesign a pair of suede shorts after the seams and pockets proved impractical.
Much of the unpaid internship is self-guided, with Soeder having to make important decisions about her collection, and the weight of that responsibility hasn’t escaped her. “This is actually for a customer. Someone will be buying it, and you have to think about the customer more,” Soeder said.
If all goes well, her collection will hit shelves on Nov. 15. “I hope I see it on somebody on the street. That’s the best thing,” she said.
Bill Hallman Studio
3400 Around Lenox Rd NE # 213
Phone: 404-814-0030
Web site: www.billhallman.com
Hours: 11 a.m. -7 p.m., Monday - Friday; 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday; 1 - 6 p.m. Sunday.
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