They said/We said: Why Sarah Jessica Parker is out at Halston Heritage
Sarah Jessica Parker is “out,” as Heidi Klum would say. Just a year and seven months after SJP signed on as the chief creative officer of Halston Heritage, the relationship has come to an end. Perhaps the recent departure has to do with Halston letting go its CEO, Bonnie Takhar, last November. According to British Vogue, upon hearing of the company’s sayonara to Takhar, Parker was in tears.
On a less dramatic note, it’s quite possible that the label needed a more practically experienced leader. Parker herself is more of a fashion enthusiast than an educated designer. Or maybe it was a question of commitment. In addition to working for Halston, Parker has been a busy woman: raising kids, producing reality shows, and filming and promoting movies. To quote her upcoming blockbuster, I Don’t Know How She Does It.
As the industry-wide game of musical chairs continues, we wonder who will take Parker’s place. Those are some pretty high heels to fill.
WHAT THEY SAID…
Harvey Weinstein, part owner of Halston: “Sarah Jessica is a huge supporter of Bonnie’s, but it was time to change direction. It was the rest of the board that made the decision. No one was more steadfast to Bonnie than Sarah Jessica.” [Fashionista]
The Cut: “It’s possible Parker’s presence at the label makes a sale more difficult. Perhaps potential new investors are more interested in having a seasoned designer at the head of the company than an actress. If they are looking for a designer, John Galliano needs a job. As do, probably, lots of designers who went to fashion school.” [The Cut]
Sarah Jessica Parker: “Bradshaw’s life is nothing-nothing-like [me], I loved playing her, and it changed my life in lots of wonderful ways, but I’m not a crazy shoe lady, I don’t think about fashion all day long, although I have a great respect for the industry. Every choice we’ve made has been different.” [Vogue UK]
WHAT WE SAID…
Rani Sheen, features editor: “SJP probably introduced Halston to a mass audience that wasn’t really aware of the brand’s place in fashion history. If an established designer takes it on, it’ll be interesting to see if its legacy of ’70s glamour is revived again in this next phase or reinterpreted in a way that’s more current.”