MajorsMar 22, 2021
Elsa Peretti, a One-of-a-Kind in Jewelry Design, Dies at 80EditorsMay 19, 2021
Netflix’s ‘Halston’ Is a Hit. Now Let’s Have a Biopic on Elsa Peretti
After binging “Becoming Halston,” Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff wants to see a series that puts the jewelry designer front and center.
Netflix’s “Becoming Halston” tells the story of the life and career of fashion designer Halston (Ewan McGregor), including his friendship with jewelry designer Elsa Peretti. Rebecca Dayan plays Elsa and is seen wearing pieces of her jewelry, like the Bone cuff, throughout the series. (Photo credit: Jojo Whilden/Netflix ©2021)
I’m neither a television critic nor an expert on the life and designs of Elsa Peretti, save what I learned when writing about her passing earlier this year.
But I will say this: I had a lot of fun learning more about her, and her longtime friend Halston, by binging Netflix’s “Becoming Halston” over the weekend, and I’d love to see Elsa get a biopic of her own.
Based on the book “Simply Halston: The Untold Story” by Steve Gaines, the five-episode limited series tells the story of how a boy from Des Moines, Iowa named Roy Halston Frowick went from designing hats to redefining American fashion before he ultimately became his own undoing.
Halston was one of Elsa’s closest friends and one of the most influential creative forces in her life, introducing her to Tiffany executives in 1974.
In a video from 1990, she said of Halston: “He taught me so much, he didn’t say anything. He was a great man for taste. I learned so much [from] him, so much.”
But I will say this: I had a lot of fun learning more about her, and her longtime friend Halston, by binging Netflix’s “Becoming Halston” over the weekend, and I’d love to see Elsa get a biopic of her own.
Based on the book “Simply Halston: The Untold Story” by Steve Gaines, the five-episode limited series tells the story of how a boy from Des Moines, Iowa named Roy Halston Frowick went from designing hats to redefining American fashion before he ultimately became his own undoing.
Halston was one of Elsa’s closest friends and one of the most influential creative forces in her life, introducing her to Tiffany executives in 1974.
In a video from 1990, she said of Halston: “He taught me so much, he didn’t say anything. He was a great man for taste. I learned so much [from] him, so much.”
In the third episode of “Becoming Halston,” Elsa Peretti, played by Rebecca Dayan, finds the bottle that inspired her famous necklace at a flea market on a New York City street. (Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix ©2021)
Later that same episode, model Bethann Hardison, played by Megan Danielle Gerald, wears the bottle as a necklace in a fashion show. (Photo credit: Jojo Whilden/Netflix ©2021)
In the Netflix biopic, mention of Elsa’s career as a jewelry designer doesn’t come until the third episode, but her designs are everywhere.
Elsa, played by French-born actress Rebecca Dayan, mentions jewelry in the very first episode, suggesting a “nice big piece of chunky jewelry” would elevate a design Halston describes as a prom dress fit for a Martian.
The Bone cuff, which recently turned 50, can be spotted as soon as the second episode.
Longtime Halston friend Liza Minnelli, played brilliantly by Krysta Rodriguez, is wearing one when Halston asks her to perform in The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show, a real event that took place in November 1973.
Later in that same episode, Elsa wears a Bone cuff on the way to Paris and in the fashion show.
We also see the designer’s equestrian belt on Liza when Halston’s squad—which includes Elsa, Liza, Halstonette and later actress Pat Ast and illustrator Joe Eula—rolls into Paris and storms the palace.
Also seen in the series: Elsa’s snake belt, bottle pendant (the inspiration for Halston’s perfume bottle, which Elsa also designed), Scorpion necklace and heart dish, which is used to store cocaine, a character of its own by the series’ end.
We also see the designer’s equestrian belt on Liza when Halston’s squad—which includes Elsa, Liza, Halstonette and later actress Pat Ast and illustrator Joe Eula—rolls into Paris and storms the palace.
Also seen in the series: Elsa’s snake belt, bottle pendant (the inspiration for Halston’s perfume bottle, which Elsa also designed), Scorpion necklace and heart dish, which is used to store cocaine, a character of its own by the series’ end.
Liza Minnelli (Krysta Rodriguez), seen in front next to Halston, is wearing’s Elsa Peretti’s equestrian belt when the squad arrives in Paris for The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show. (Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix ©2021)
Elsa (Rebecca Dayan) wears a bone cuff while on the runway for Halston in the Versailles fashion show. (Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix ©2021)
As mentioned, I’m not a TV critic by any stretch, but I thought Dayan did a wonderful job portraying Elsa Peretti—she was vulnerable and loving but also a badass when it was called for, like when she defended herself and her talent during their argument in the Hamptons in episode four.
Dayan also depicts the jewelry designer as being more grounded, sensible, and even-keeled than Halston, which is true to what Elsa was in real life, Marion Fasel wrote in The Adventurine.
Elsa eventually fled the ‘70s New York party scene to spend more time in the village outside Barcelona, Spain where she lived for years, a move that probably saved her life.
She died this past March at the age of 80, outliving all of her friends by decades, including Halston, who died in 1990.
I want to see, and know, more about her life, not just during her wild partying days at Studio 54 but also her later years in Spain.
“Becoming Halston” is available on Netflix now. And the show on Elsa Peretti, starring Dayan, is … coming soon?
More on Editors
The Latest
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in ManufacturerIts investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.
MajorsAug 15, 2025
Rio Grande Names New Marketing DirectorNicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.
CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
Weekly QuizAug 08, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes With Gigantic Oval-Cut DiamondModel Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
ICA Names 2025 Board of DirectorsThe board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Colorado Jeweler, Whiskey Maker Collab on Ring GiveawayThree winners will receive a custom ring from Honest Hands Ring Co. inlaid with a piece of history from Denver-based distillery Stranahan’s.
SurveysAug 13, 2025
These Are The 25 Hottest Retailers, Says NRFJD Sports and Wawa were among the fastest-growing retail companies in the U.S. last year.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
Columbia Gem House Launches Winza Sapphires, RubiesThe new inventory, all untreated, features vibrant hues and unique bicolor combinations.
SourcingAug 12, 2025
Gemfields Sells Fabergé for $50MAcquired by a tech investor, the historic brand will continue to focus on jewelry, accessories, and timepieces.
Policies & IssuesAug 12, 2025
Higher Tariff on Chinese Imports Paused for 90 Days, Trump SaysPresident Donald Trump issued an executive order extending the pause on higher tariffs to November as negotiations with China continue.
CollectionsAug 12, 2025
Jacquie Aiche’s New Collection Harnesses the Energy of the ThunderbirdThe “Thunderbird Slab” collection features a thunderbird motif as a symbol of power, protection, and boundless possibility.
ColumnistsAug 12, 2025
Creative Connecting: How to Take a Better HeadshotColumnists Jen Cullen Williams and Duvall O’Steen share tips on how to elevate your professional image.
CrimeAug 11, 2025
Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder in Death of Colorado JewelerPeter Damian Arguello, a jeweler in the Denver suburb of Wheat Ridge, was found dead inside his store in November 2023.
IndependentsAug 11, 2025
Lisa Bridge to Depart Ben Bridge JewelerThe retailer, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is becoming part of the Berkshire Hathaway Jewelry Group with Helzberg.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2025
Bethenny Frankel to Give Keynote at CBG’s Experience ShowThe Continental Buying Group’s 2025 Tampa Experience Show is slated for Sept. 8-10.
FinancialsAug 08, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 3% as Engagement Ring Sales RiseThe company raised its full-year sales guidance while noting it has not yet assessed the potential impact of the latest tariff news.
Events & AwardsAug 08, 2025
GJEPC’s Jewellers for Hope Celebrates 10 Years of FundraisingThe organization has raised more than $1.3 million for charity since its inception.
TrendsAug 08, 2025
Piece of the Week: Rahaminov Diamonds’ Bezel BangleThe brand’s latest iteration of a bezel-set diamond bangle features clean lines and a timeless design for a new modern silhouette.
WatchesAug 07, 2025
Bulova’s New Collection Honors Tony BennettThe first watch in the series commemorates his participation in the Civil Rights movement, marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
Lab-GrownAug 07, 2025
Chatham Releases Catalog for Loose Lab-Grown GemstonesThe catalog contains a complete listing of all the loose gemstones in stock, as well as information about the properties of each stone.
TechnologyAug 07, 2025
Rembrandt Charms Debuts New Website, Bird CharmsThe company added a retailer dashboard to its site and three new birds to its charm collection, the cardinal, blue jay, and hummingbird.
Policies & IssuesAug 06, 2025
Tariff on India to Rise to 50%, Trump Says An additional 25 percent tariff has been added to the previously announced 25 percent.
MajorsAug 06, 2025
Claire’s Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy AgainThe jewelry and accessories retailer plans to close 18 stores as part of the proceedings.
