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This week the CFDA Awards were held in Manhattan – officially signifying that the New York season is over, and everyone can now depart for the Hamptons till Labor Day. But these awards are considered “the Oscars of fashion” – hmmmm. Does anyone really cares who wins? It’s often the same designers, year in and year out. And the only way a designer really wins is at the cash register and in the reviews of their shows. But there are still celebs attending with designers, and always some who win big or lose all in the fashion red carpet Olympics. In this case, we loved two extremes: Sarah Jessica Parker’s floral pink and purple print Alexander McQueen pre-fall gown – an homage to her friendship with the late great designer. It’s a whole lotta dress goin’ on – a full gown with miles of printed silk – but on the right person, it’s gorgeous, and there’s no doubt – SJP is the right person for this dress. Anyone else would drown in it. SJP can do maximalism. And Gwyneth Paltrow went to the other extreme: Michael Kors black evening chic minimalism – if you call a cut out strappy pailette Michael Kors gown “minimal.” But with her hair pulled tight and little makeup, she looked the total New York chic woman, letting her figure and her allure do all the talking. But then, these two ladies rarely disappoint when it comes to fashion. The box office is another matter.
For more fashion reviews, visit Apples & Oranges with Merle Ginsberg and Abe Gurko on imeanwhat.com
There is no rest for the cast of “Sex and the City 2,” who have been all around the world, NY and LA, in the last few weeks, promoting the movie, which opened simultaneously around the world. SJP was seen arriving in Japan’s Norita airport this weekend, dressing a bit down, in a fedora, a black and grey sporty street look – and crazy amazing turquoise shoes! Clearly, she and Carrie Bradshaw have some things in common. Meanwhile, here at home, the movie did not come in in the number one box office spot, and made only about half of what the first film made in its opening weekend. And the reviews? Let’s just say, the critics were out to get these girls – their clothes – their language – their sex lives – and they went for the jugular. Audiences seem to like the film, but the critics panned it. Even its highly flamboyant wardrobe has been taken to task. The Associated Press wrote a story titled, “‘Sex and the City 2′: Can 40-plus dress fabulous?” Listen to a few lines:
NEW YORK – There’s a telling scene early in “Sex and the City 2″ when 52-year-old Samantha, played by 53-year-old Kim Cattrall, spots a gold, beaded bustier minidress that she thinks will be perfect for a big red-carpet moment. The saleswoman is the first doubter. “Is it maybe a little young?” she asks. Samantha’s friends question the minidress, too. But an even more important movie moment is when Samantha rocks the dress, putting conventionalists and teenager Miley Cyrus, who is on the same red carpet in the same dress, in their place. Throughout the movie the posse parades around in the most au courant clothes, seemingly not deterred at all by the fact that designers often use lithe, lean teenage runway models as muses instead of the 40-plus successful shopaholics the characters now represent.”
“I think it’s all about where the individual is in what they are comfortable and confident wearing,” says accessories designer Brian Atwood, who crafted two pairs of 6-inch heels for Carrie’s closet, including studded, purple-suede peeptoes. “I don’t like to dictate boundaries to anyone. . I think it’s the whole package.”
So there you have it – are these women – on film and off – dressing their age? If they lived in LA, the answer would be – no one dresses their age in Los Angeles. As for New York, well – that’s another story. And after all, it IS fictional.
Any event related to “Sex and the City” relates to high fashion. So a full-on movie premier for “Sex and the City 2″ is almost like observing the gowns at the Cannes Film Festival – these girls don’t hold back! Interesting how the four ladies harmonized and complimented each other on the red carpet at Radio City Music Hall in New York on Monday night – clearly, they discussed the color combos. Sarah Jessica Parker looked absolutely amazing – and not overdone – in a neon Valentino Haute Couture yellow chiffon gown – and yellow is the hardest color to wear, as we all know. Later, at the after party at Lincoln Center, she changed into a black semi-sheer Elie Saab cocktail dress. The yellow look was a lot more exciting – but it’s nice to have two very different looks at one premier. And a lot of work. Cynthia Nixon’s black strapless simple chic understated gown was by Carolina Herrera – a very good choice for her. Kim Cattrall got sexy in a tight gold Naeem Khan metallic shiney gown with Kimberly McDonald earrings. Clearly, this woman does not want to disappear into the background. Kristen Davis went with candy pink, a vintage Jean Desses gown from Decades in L.A., and it actually might be the most perfect black tie dress she’s ever worn. She looks fresh, young and pretty, pretty, pretty. Have you booked your SATC2 party yet? It opens this Thursday!!!!
We saw it on Sandra Bullock in Bottega Veneta at the Golden Globes. And we’ve seen it on many other stars since January 2010. And it’s not just a shade of purple – or lavender. It’s orchid, a pinkish purplish hybrid of the two colors – and it’s not fuschia, either. But the one thing it always is – is flattering. Naomi Watts wore this orchid and black trimmed great dress by RM Roland Mouret for her press appointments for the new movie “Fair Game” (in which she plays CIA agent Valerie Plame, and Sean Penn plays her husband, diplomat Joe Wilson). And she just looks fantastic – and very different than when she was promoting her other Cannes film, Woody Allen’s “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.” And SJP donned this stunning orchid dress to hype “Sex and the City 2″ on the CBS Early Show. She’s been wearing a lot of pink lately – a pink Louis Vuitton bag, pink scarves. It’s been documented everyone. This keeps it in the family while being more sophisticated and grown up. We can only imagine the eye candy we’re going to see from her as we head up to next week’s “Sex and the City 2″ opening.
The New York Times this week devoted a lot of time to “Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston,” the new doc about one of America’s most famous designers. Let’s face it, Halston put the fashion world on the map in the seventies, drawing attention to New York and style by dressing Liza Minelli, Liz Taylor, Bianca Jagger, Barbra Streisand and all the fabulous models of the moment like Pat Cleveland. He also helped but the decadent world of Studio 54 on the map, changing the face of nightlife forever. The doc will premier in LA on May 12 at LACMA, and we’re not sure when it will get to a theater near you, as it probably doesn’t have a distributor yet. But for the Tribeca Film Fest opening of it, Sarah Jessica Parker – a creative consultant to the current Halston brand – came out to support in a chic Halston dress. So did Georgina Chapman of Marchesa, who’s husband Harvey Weinstein in an owner of Halston currently. And Kate Walsh showed up in about the shortest dress we’ve EVER seen, utterly inappropriate for her height and body – attempting, we think, to out-short Gwyneth Paltrow, who’s also starting to look like a grown up in her daughter’s dress. You’d NEVER see SJP wearing anything like that. It just looks tacky.
It’s a chic strapless dress with a diaphonous skirt by Emilio Pucci from the FW 09-10 Collection – and she also wears it in one key scene in the movie – where she meets up with her former love, Aidan, played by John Corbett, on a trip to the Middle East – and it throws her Carrie character into a tailspin. We don’t know it’s in one of the Carrie/Aidan scenes – but we’re making a wild guess here, since the scene’s said to “pivotal.” Well, no matter – her dress and hair look amazing no matter what’s going on in her head. If you recall, SJP’s wearing that Vivienne Westwood wedding dress in the first “Sex and the City” – even when the wedding got called off – was a big boon to Ms. Westwood, and even upped her sales. (The Vivienne Westwood store in L.A. will open on Melrose very soon.) So this should be a big shot to the Pucci brand. The movie, of course, opens May 28.
What with “Sex and the City 2″ coming out in about 6 weeks, our minds turn to thoughts of Jimmy Choo’s for spring. However, some of us actually have to WORK and to MOVE, and not just prance the streets in designer clothes like those four women. The idea of bouncing around L.A. in open toed strappy stillettos makes sense at night, but not exactly by day. But if you want THAT label, and that quality, and of course, a status name to drop, check out the new pre-fall 2010 collection of Jimmy Choo Trainers (that’s what they call them in the U.K., and that’s where Jimmy Choo is based.) They are very groovy looking, definitely a higher quality of design and fabric than your average Nikes – but they will run you somewhere between $465 and $565 for this snake looking pair. However, you literally good get away with wearing a cute summer dress and these, and look very ready for anything. It would be very hip to pair them with expensive clothes – or inexpensive clothes might even be MORE interesting. You can check them out AND purchase them on www.JimmyChoo.com, and in the store on Rodeo. FINALLY – a part of truly comfortable Jimmy Choo’s! We don’t care WHAT Sarah Jessica Parker says – she’s getting paid to wear them! – Merle Ginsberg
This isn’t SJP’s first Vogue cover, but it’s still a big deal. First, it’s her first cover relating to what will no doubt be a big summer blockbuster, “Sex and the City 2″ – and no doubt, NOT the last cover she’ll grace this season. She’ll probably get quite a few more covers. But this cover is Vogue’s salute to the upcoming exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity,” opening May 5th at the Met’s Costume Institute. Vogue’s story is a celebration of the same topic. To herald the cause and as the emblem of today’s American woman, Sarah Jessica Parker is part of the whole Met Vogue package. And she’ll sure be at the Met Costume Ball, although she’s not a co-chair. Anna Wintour, Oprah Winfrey and Patrick Robinson have that honor. VOGUE contributing editor Vicki Woods visited with Ms. Parker as she prepared for the upcoming release of the sequel, begins her role as president and chief creative officer of Halston, and faces the challenges of being a mom to three small children. The photos were shot by Mario Testino, and here are some of our favorite quotes from the interview:
On having children with a surrogate mother:
“Meeting your children rather than giving birth to them, it’s as if it’s—suspended animation. The gestational experience is gone. It’s as if everything else disappears for a moment, and the world goes silent and—I can’t explain it except to say that nothing else existed. I don’t remember anything but the blanket on the bed that they were lying on and my husband’s face and their faces and my son’s.”
On the importance of keeping perspective:
“We painted our patio furniture ourselves…. I make my children’s food myself. We put together their high chairs ourselves; we do a lot ourselves! We do our own grocery shopping, we go to the market ourselves, you know? I do my laundry.”
The upcoming Sex and the City sequel:
“We four women, despite I guess what a lot of people hope, have never been better. This movie—and maybe it’s because we actually lived together—it was the best! We were together all day long, at night, in the restaurants, in our hotels. It was wonderful.”
Sex and the City getting older:
“I don’t know how old Carrie is! Is she about 42 now? I think Carrie’s younger than I [she's 45], and Miranda and Charlotte are younger than they are in real life. Samantha was always the older lady, so she’s 52 now and talks a lot about what comes with that. In the movie she talks about menopause. Comedically.”
