Chris Royer

Christine I. Royer also known as Chris Royer (born September 25, 1948) is an American fashion model during the 1970s and 80s. Chris Royer was an top international Vogue and runway model. She was known as one of Halston's "Halstonettes" and in the mid-80s evolved into working as part of the Halston Enterprises Inc. design staff. 
In 1986, Revlon acquired Halston Enterprises Inc. and Chris Royer was the Creative Marketing Director. In the 90s, she was credited as co-creating the Revlon Licensing division. In 1997, Chris started CRC Inc. a strategic licensing and marketing firm. 
==Early Life==
Chris Royer's earliest influences of design and fashion were from her grandmother and mother. Chris remembers reading American Vogue and Mademoiselle. 
She attended Pratt Institute for Fashion Design. Her first design and modeling job was for De Beers diamond company. She designed jewelry using diamonds and styled it with contemporary clothing at that time. 
==Career==
===Modeling===
Starting in 1970, Chris Royer, a Pratt Institute design student was featured in a Mademoiselle editorial “She’s Got Style”. In September of 1972, she was signed as a house model and muse for Halston Ltd. which in 1973 became Halston Enterprises.
In addition to her working agreement with Halston, she also worked as a top model in editorials for Vogue USA, England, France, Germany, Italy, and other fashion designers. She worked for iconic photographers such as Hiro, Arthur Elgort, Deborah Turbeville, and more. 
====The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show====
On November 28th, 1973, Chris Royer was one of the 36 models used for the The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show. This unprecedented social event, was to be held in the Opéra royal de Versailles for the Versailles Restoration Fund. Eleanor Lambert, the publicist and founder of the COTY American Fashion Awards, Fashion Week and the Best Dressed List and the Palace Versailles curator, Gerald Van der Kemp created the idea. 
On the American side, Halston, Bill Blass, Anne Klein, Oscar de La Renta and Stephen Burrows, accepted the invitation from the Baronne Marie-Hélène de Rothschild and five leading French couturiers were to present a special collection for the benefit of the Chateau of Versailles. The French designers were Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, Ungaro and Marc Bohan of Dior. The stars involved on the French side were Josephine Baker, Louis Jordon, Zizi Jeanmarie for YSL Danielle Darrieux, for Christian Dior, Capucine, Rudolf Nureyev and the Crazy Horse Saloon cabaret were all part of the mix. 
In 2016, Chris Royer provided research and contact information, photographs, and was interviewed for the film "Battle of Versailles" by the fashion network M2M, narrated by Stanley Tucci.
In 2022, The Met Costume Institute exhibition curated by Andrew Bolton, In America: An Anthology of Fashion, Tom Ford designed a display of The Battle of Versailles between the French and American designers. All the mannequins were custom-made in Tokyo, Japan, and are displayed as warriors engaged in a “literal battle”. Tom Ford's inspiration came from watching the Marvel movie Shang-Chi with his son. Many of the mannequins are fighting in the air brandishing swords. The mannequins were dressed in designs shown at The Battle of Versailles show in 1973. One of Chris Royer's Halston evening gowns was displayed at the exhibition. 
====Vogue====
Vogue Fashion Beauty & Lifestyle published "The Story of Chris Royer: New-Look-New-Outlook" photographed by Arthur Elgort and Keith Trumbo in 1974. The story focused on Chris Royer's lifestyle and routine as a top Vogue Model. 
Chris Royer was featured in the iconic photographer Deborah Turbeville "Bath House" scenes in Vogue 1975. The Asser Levy Bath House in New York City at the time was in need of serious renovations. This was the location of the 5 day shooting by Deborah Turbeville. Polly Mellen was the Vogue editor for the shooting. When published in Vogue it was considered highly controversial. In 2009, the "Bath House" scenes were shown at The Met (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) exhibition, "The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion, curated by Harold Koda. 
In German Vogue, Chris Royer was highlighted in the article "My Secret of Success" in 1978. The article provided Chris Royer's daily routines as a model. Frances Stein was the editor and Eric Bowman is credited as the photographer. 
===Marketing===
In 1985 as the Creative Marketing Director she managed the master licensees for Halston Enterprises in Japan and Mexico and worked closely with Halston fragrance. In 1986, Revlon purchased Halston Enterprises Inc.
From 1991-1997, Chris Royer held several VP positions within Revlon, including VP for marketing and Product Development for the Revlon Licensing Division. Chris Royer is credited for co-creating the Revlon Licensing program.
In 1997, Chris Royer created a consulting firm specializing in strategic licensing and marketing. From 1997-2008, some of her fashion clients were Betsey Johnson, Lily of France, MAC Cosmetics, and Warner Bros. Wizard of Oz Promotions.
==Research Consultant and Contributor==
For over 40 years, Chris Royer has also been a fashion historian, archivist, advisor, and private collector of Halston designs. She has been a research consultant and contributor, and donor on numerous Halston exhibitions, books, films and projects for museums such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute and Brooklyn Museum|The Brooklyn Museum, FIT Museum, The Andy Warhol Museum, Lipscomb University, and more.
In the 2021 "Halston" miniseries from Netflix, directed by Daniel Minahan, produced by Ryan Murphy, Chris Royer assisted with research information for the film. She advised Jeriana San Juan, the costume designer for the film on different design aspects of Halston. Mark Ricker, the production designer consulted with Chris Royer about the interior design layouts for the Halston Olympic Towers, and his Halston Limited Boutique on 68th Street and Madison. She provided detailed design layouts of the the buildings which were used for the film. Requested by Ewan McGregor, Chris Royer guided him on developing Halston mannerisms. He received the 2021 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his portrayal of Halston in the Netflix miniseries. 
==Exhibitions, Books, and Films==
* “Halston and Ultrasuede: A Perfect Fit” Art & Design Gallery at FIT, by curator Michael Kaye, 2023
* “Dressed: The History of Fashion” podcast with host Cassidy Zachary for iHeartRadio, 2023
* “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” The Met Costume Institute by curator Andrew Bolton & design-director Tom Ford for Versailles segment, 2022
* “Halston” Emmy award winning drama-miniseries, starring Ewan McGregor by Ryan Murphy for Netflix, 2021
* “About Time: Fashion & Duration” The Met Costume Institute by Andrew Bolton, 2021
* “Ravishing: The Rose in Fashion” The Museum at FIT by curators Valerie Steele and Amy de la Haye, 2021
* “Studio 54: Night Magic” The Brooklyn Museum traveling exhibition, by curator Matthew Yokobosky, 2020
* “Halston” film by Frederic Tcheng, 2019
* “Battle at Versailles” film by M2M, 2016
* “Andy Warhol and Halston: Silver & Suede book” Abrams Publishing, 2014
* “Halston: Inventing American Fashion” by Lesley Frowick, 2014
* “Halston” by authors Steven Blutthall and Patricia Mears, 2001
* “Halston: Absolute Modernism” The Museum at FIT, by curators Harold Koda and Richard Martin, 1991
Category:1948 births
Category:People from Brooklyn, New York
Category:American people
Category:Fashion
Category:Models