Sarah Jessica Parker: Our thoughts
The Budget Fashionista reported in March 2007 that Sarah Jessica Parker, aka Carrie of Sex and The City was creating a clothing line named “Bitten”. The collection would be available at Steve and Barry’s discount sportswear store and will launch as a blind fashion item during Fashion Week.
The jury is out
Let me first say that I am really hoping to enjoy this line. My full review will be available when the product is in store. The pictures of the Bitten collection are not very exciting. The line looks very similar to the GAP stuff that she was selling.
This line is something I really want. It’s true. Most of those who shop in Steve & Barry’s have a fashion 101 background. This line is more like fashion 201. This line is not the urban easy style that Madonna’s H&M collection has, nor the basic creative look of Isaac Mizrahi for Target. The pictures that are overly edited, usually a sign of poor-quality clothing, make me sceptical.
Cute Basics
The Bitn collection does include cute basics like basic black tops and dresses, wide-leg trousers in khaki, etc. Many are priced below $19.95.
When I think about Sarah Jessica Parker I do not think about basics. When I think about Sarah Jessica Parker, my mind goes to quirky styles, unusual patterns, odd mixtures etc. It’s not clear if these are elements that will be featured in her line.
This leads me to this question. SJP has a very unique style. Is it hers or a stylist’s (hello Patricia Fields?)?
Bitten Launches on Oprah
The line was launched on Oprah two months after the initial news. In order to write an honest review about the Bitten line by Sarah Jessica Parker that was presented on Oprah today, let me clear up some myths.
SJP: What do you think?
Sarah Jessica Parker is a good actress, but not the saint for budget shoppers. Sarah Jessica Parker made a good business decision and she has some excellent publicists who are able to make you buy. Steve & Barry’s offers more options for bargain shopping, and that is great.
I like Steve & Barry’s. It was only a few weeks ago that I went there because Tobias asked me to get him Starbury shoes.
Many of you seem to think that SJP and other celebrities are “designing” the lines for you. SJP, Stephon Marbury and I are all for consumers but they produce these lines to make money.
Fashion bloggers are also a subject of great misconception. We are not fashion insiders, but neither are we “fashion outsiders.” We attend Fashion Week and visit major designer showrooms. We also write books for major publishers, are TV correspondents and shop in stores such as Steve & Barry’s.
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Bitten Line
Would you buy the product if Sarah Jessica Parker was not on it? Would Oprah have featured this line if it was created by someone else than a celebrity?
Pros
Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker is different from other celebrity clothing lines because the size range (2-22) reflects America’s true sizes. It’s because of this that I really wanted to love the line.
The $20 coats are also refreshing. I will buy at least one.
Cons
The line is nothing new, but based on what I’ve seen and heard from people who worked with Steve & Barry and have seen it, this line isn’t. Isaac Mizrahi’s line for Target was a first. It was a first when Stephon Marbury, a basketball player for the NBA, wore Starbury shoes that cost $14.98 in NBA games.
Conclusions
If you remove the sizes from Bitten, then all of these pieces are available in stores such as old Navy, Mandee, Marianne, Payless, Forever 21 etc. The quality of the product may also be a concern. It’s obvious that the seams are wavy, which is a sign of bad stitching. The front of the trousers were also clumpy. Watch the video again and note how all the pairs of pants were bunched up in front. Also, the seams did not lie flat.
I hope the next collection of clothes from this line improves on quality.
What I found most surprising was how tepid the Oprah viewers were. When I watch Oprah every day, the audience LOVES something. The line “Bitten” seemed to have little impact on them. Oprah once responded to the audience’s lukewarm response to a knitted dress by saying “Come On, it’s only $14.”
You can see my point by comparing that with the reaction of the Target audience to Isaac Mizrahi’s truly stunning bridal gowns.
This line is a sure bet to succeed, as people continue to confuse their own style and that of a stylist. The continued strength and popularity of SJP’s Sex and the City will encourage people to buy.