Hello-hello and happy-happy. Are we all recovered, or at least well on the way to recovering from the Sex and the City weekend? Good, because just when you thought it was safe… and we do apologize in advance… there is a bit more SATC news. Well actually, just a few little tidbits, the first one you have probably heard all about: ‘The Dress Tempest.’ In case you haven’t, it’s quite the buzz.
As the photos above make rather evident, Sarah Jessica Parker was not the first and only to wear that stunning strapless Nina Ricci gown on the red carpet. As she was told by designer Olivier Theyskens when she specifically questioned him about it. Remember the big Met gala on May 5th yours truly was simply gaga over? Both Theyskens and his boss told SJP the dress had not been worn by anyone other than for magazine photo shoots. Can anyone spell Pinocchio? On May 5th socialite and former Vogue staffer Lauren Santo Domingo wore the gown to a rather significant red carpet event, the Met Costume Institute Gala. With whom did she go to the ball? Mr. Theyskens.
How is Mr. Theyskens described on the Nina Ricci website?
“His spectacularly constructed dresses are a constant feature on red carpets and magazine covers…He is firmly on the side of the women he dresses and interprets with wonder.”
This is not the first time the label has been dishonest with a celebrity regarding a gown. Such bad form. Honestly. Evidently they also burned an original prep, Reese Witherspoon; details are in the posting by NY Times blogger Cathryn Horn. And it isn’t as if Ms. Santo Domingo and Mr. Theyskens aren’t fast friends, frequently turning up at functions together. It’s that very friendship however that makes the deception that much more blatant.
We will leave Mr. Theyskens to his own self-destructive devices and move on to a much jollier SATC topic. (And ooooohhh, we do so love the timing of this. Brilliant, day-after kind of stuff that gets lots of play. Why, just look at us sharing the love!) And it involves the actress playing Charlotte, the film’s character with the closest thing to a preppy style aesthetic.
Word from the ever-so-fabulous Belk department store group they have signed a long-term deal with SATC’s Kristin Davis. The collection will launch this fall and include shoes (of course) and other accessories like handbags and jewelry, sportswear, and sleepwear. Davis ultimately hopes to expand the lines for an even broader range of merchandise, including bed and bath. (Snooze release here.)
The partnership seems to make sense, at least on its surface merits. Davis says she grew up shopping at Belk, which adds a nice touch to the arrangement. For those unfamiliar with the company, Belk is southern born and bred, going back to 1800’s, now with 300+ stores in 16 southern states. And here is the amazing part of the Belk equation, especially in this day and age: the company remains family owned and operated. If the designs and quality meet expectations, this might have a future.
Fellow Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker’s Bitten line for low-price retailer Steve and Barry’s leads the way in this arena. Of course, there is a line of special Sex and the City tee-shirts and tanks for sale at Steve and Barry’s with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Children’s Defense Fund.
BTW, has anyone noticed the extraordinary volume of SATC merchandise out on the street? (And online as well; tee-shirt below from HBO online SATC store.) This is evidence TP has been a bit under the weather, as we should have not only expected this, we should have been predicting it. Hhhhmmm… it seems the the tiara is tilting a bit up there. Indeed.
The Preppy Princess 