When Sarah Jessica Parker first donned her Manolo Blahniks to play Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, she became an immediate style icon. The nearly nude dress, the unmistakable tutu, and that Vivienne Westwood wedding dress all entered the fashion hall of fame, with Carrie’s blend of couture and vintage inspiring a generation of women. But since the programme left our screens in 2004 (with no sign of a film since 2010) the actress affectionately known as SJP has kept the fashion torch flying with a series of stylish red carpet appearances and brand collaborations.
Now, it’s time for a new chapter. The actress has teamed up with high street staple Sunglass Hut to launch the SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker collection, a range of striking sunnies reminiscent of her Nineties days, and just a touch of Carrie’s SATC2 holiday looks.
‘It all began with a discontinued and long loved pair of sunglasses that I have hung onto for well over a decade’, Sarah Jessica tells Grazia. ‘They were inspiration and a constant in my travels. I find comfort in the size of larger sunglasses. I walk a lot in NYC, travel on subways and there is just the right amount of protection from sun as well protection from cameras, which are no longer the sole custody of paparazzi.’ She is keen to point out that she’s not anti-fan, though: ‘I'm always happy to chat with someone, say hello, offer a hug to those wanting to say hello, but it's not always the perfect time to take photos and there is just a wee bit of anonymity that the large frame allows.’
Now 54, and a mother of three children with husband Matthew Broderick, she is as stylish as she always was. But there’s only one Carrie Bradshaw. ‘There was so much to admire about Carrie's sartorial choices,’ she explains, ‘in many ways inspiring, but her style was singular. I couldn't dress exactly like her, but I too have always loved vintage, so that was a connection.’ That stylish thread is felt in her latest TV role, in US drama Divorce. ‘I connected once again with all the vintage dresses Frances wore,’ she says. ‘But her life and career dictated a different approach. But I loved wearing all the vintage dresses and coats. [The costumes] are enormously important. They are as integral to the story of a character as are the words spoken.’
Playing Carrie was more than tulle and stilettos, though. Her style, Sarah Jessica says, ‘allowed me to better understand the industry. What is required, what goes into the making of a beautiful or culture piece. How many hands are involved. What is the time spent. How the business of fashion works and most all only grew my appreciation for all the shared talent.’ No wonder, then, that she used this knowledge in the collaboration.
‘I'm always as hands on as partners allow’, she explains. ‘Relative to this collection, it was indeed a team effort and I was involved in all the steps. We created a collection that we feel good about and are so excited to share.’
Carrie fans, pray for winter sun...
Shop the collectionhere
READ MORE: SJP confirms Sex and the City is 'Over'