Sarah Jessica Parker makes a cameo at The Bay
In the competition for celeb endorsements, The Bay scored a serious victory against Holts last night when Sarah Jessica Parker—gracious, gorgeous and, yes, incredibly tiny—glided into the Yonge and Queen store in her four-inch Ferragamo heels.
She was there as the newly minted chief creative officer of Halston, the American design house that made its name in the gaudy glam ’70s. The usual mass of Toronto fashion media and socialites (and a surprising appearance by Laureen Harper) huddled around her as she smiled warmly. With all the hubbub, it’s hard to say how long she stayed, but by our estimate, it was about 20 minutes, just long enough to pose for pictures in her minuscule purple tube dress (Halston, of course) and leave an overall impression of effortless effervescence.
The occasion: The Bay’s new Halston Heritage line. It’s the first collection designed for Halston by under the rule of SJP, and it’s inspired by the company’s disco origins, which means shiny polyester jumpsuits (Jessi Cruikshank successfully pulled off the royal blue version), floor-length wrap dresses with deep-plunging V necklines (because, hey, if you’ve got a bony sternum, flaunt it), and sequins galore. We’re all for updating lively vintage looks, so long as they are, in fact, updated. This collection, however, looks like it emerged from a Halston time capsule buried back when Donna Summer was topping the charts and John Travolta was cool.
Yet we’re guessing the clothing’s post-oughties appeal (or lack thereof) scarcely matters. It’s the megawatt influence of the woman behind the frightful disco fashions that counts, especially on a week when Holt Renfrew’s celeb-of-honour is Miss J. of America’s Next Top Model fame. Bonnie Brooks and her band of Bay execs must’ve been raising their Veuve last night and toasting with a good old-fashioned “Suck it, Holts!”
I’m sure she only stayed for maybe 20min, people were practically on top of her and what’s with sticking your camera in someones face!!
No respect for the Queen of Fashion!!
Was there for close to an hour. In all my star-watching days, I’ve never seen one work a room so thoroughly and as gee-whiz as SJP.
‘Queen of Fashion’???
What?
There’s a big difference between being well-styled and having style.
SJP is somewhere in the middle but far from the title of Queen.
Factually, this ‘reporting’ is sloppy. And not just with telling time (Sarah Jessica was there for well over 20 minutes)! SJP is not the designer nor does she pretend to be the designer of the Heritage diffusion line: in a sense, that would be Halston, the late designer himself. The collection consists of LITERAL reproductions pulled from the archives that have, in some cases, been ever-so-slightly tweaked. These original designs where then made in fabrics and colors to represent our modern aesthetic. It’s not meant to be updated versions of vintage looks. Its meant to be a celebration of one of the greatest American designers. Its meant to introduce an entirely new generation of girls to the designs. So whether or not they were to Sarah Jessica’s taste, the whole replica, time capsule thing? That’s the POINT.
I am pretty sure there where press kits that said just that, or you could try google – all the other articles on-line about the brand seem to have gotten the point that the designs are meant to be reproductions of the originals.
“…to introduce an entirely new generation of girls to the designs.”
I am certain they are women and not girls, we have laws that protect the young. Why do people continue to use that term when speaking of women? The language evolves just as we, people do – grow up. Cheers
All hail the Queen!
SJP represents fashion!
The Queen in the house of fashion?>!
When the Queen enters the room you will respect her!
LOL!