Get ‘Sex and the City’ style from HSN
TUTUS AND nameplate necklaces, oversize flower pins and Manolos. Patricia Field, the costume designer who launched a thousand trends with her eclectic, high-low mix of designer and vintage ensembles on “Sex and the City,” is at it again. Only this time, there’s no runway sticker shock.
Coming this week is Destination Style New York, her new line with designer David Dalrymple, who teamed up with her for House of Field, the outrageous collection of splashy clothes and accessories that was part of the downtown Manhattan club kid uniform through the late ‘90s. The new venture re-creates looks from the stylish show and revives House of Field’s most famous pieces. “You could call it the greatest hits,” Dalrymple says.
Prices -- $35 to $200 -- are pleasantly affordable. But that’s not the biggest surprise. The line, which launches exclusively in the U.S. on Tuesday (to coincide with the DVD release of the “Sex and the City” movie), is featured at one of the last places you’d expect Field to be hawking form-fitting fuchsia jersey dresses and belts with intertwining gold snake buckles: the Home Shopping Network.
Though HSN may bring to mind kooky Christmas sweaters and comfort clogs, it’s widened its offerings to include more fashionable lines -- AG denim, Velvet by Graham and Spencer -- for a younger, more trend-conscious customer. And Destination Style New York is the most edgy line to appear on the network to date.
There won’t be a “Samantha” sarong or “Carrie” cardigan in the collection, but even without character names attached, the line’s trench coats, tote bags, minidresses and jewelry are instantly recognizable from the show -- sometimes down to the episode. And they keep real people in mind. “The styles are for many sizes and ages,” says Field, who created the line in a size run of zero to 16. “It’s affordable luxury.”
The designer, who will appear on HSN on Tuesday through Saturday, seems to be thriving in her new role as an on-camera personality. “I love TV,” she says, “and I’ve been wanting to do more, but a reality show never appealed to me.” On this particular day she certainly seemed camera-ready, in a chartreuse, dolman-sleeved minidress and Dior gladiator stilettos and with a head of freshly Manic Panicked magenta hair.
On HSN, she’ll have a chance to offer her sought-after style tips, though she’s not promising any magic formulas. “People always ask me, ‘What are your tricks?’ As if I have some bag of tricks,” she says. “Style is so individual, I can’t tell you what to wear. I can give ideas, but you have to wear what works for you.”
If jewel tones, bold prints, heavy gold accessories and the signature stamp of the “Sex and the City” girls happen to work for you, then you can skip the trouble of going to a boutique or digging through thrift store bins and buy the collection from the comfort of your couch.
The best part of this collection? No tutus.
Destination Style New York will also be available on www.hsn.com starting Tuesday, and pre-orders are being taken now.
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