May 24, 2007
Front Row
‘Sex and the Mall’
By
RUTH LA FERLA
AS Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex and the City,” Sarah Jessica Parker flaunted her style sense — and coy sexuality — making Manolo mules, skimpy tanks and ballerina skirts must-haves for aspiring fashion divas. Now Ms. Parker joins Madonna and Kate Moss, among others, as the latest media star to affix her name to a cheap-chic fashion brand.
Next week, Ms. Parker will introduce her sportswear label Bitten at the 200 Steve & Barry’s stores, a mall-based merchant selling university logo sweatshirts and licensed clothing from Marvel Comics and Coors beer. Inspired by her personal closet, the 400-piece collection will offer stretch wool-blend suits, shirts in cotton voile and poplin, as well as little black dresses, cashmere sweaters, handbags and skivvies.
“This is not just another celebrity vanity line,” said Howard Schacter, a partner in the venture. Nor would it be, he added, a short-term initiative. “We’re building our women’s business on this.”
He insisted that she has been involved in the design, “on her hands and knees with pins in her mouth.” What will the clothes actually look like? Well, since embracing motherhood, Ms. Parker, the winner in 2004 of a
Council of Fashion Designers of America fashion icon award, says she has sworn off crass display. “There’s not going to be any inappropriate midriff showing, regardless of your age,” she likes to tell reporters. “I feel like, as a culture, we have seen enough damage done by it.”