Sarah Jessica uncomfortable with ‘fashion icon’ tag

Hollywood superstar and style icon Sarah Jessica Parker recently visited Manila for the grand opening of SM Aura Premier in Taguig City. She is the face of SM’s Love to Shop campaign. The award-winning actress perfectly fits SM’s campaign because of her “fashion/style power.” As columnist Carrie Bradshaw on HBO’s hit series Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica captivated millions of people around the world with her “fabulosity.” In the series, Sarah wore fashion-forward wardrobe and designer shoes like Prada, Jonathan Kelsey, Manolo Blahnik and Dolce Vita. On the red carpet, Sarah impresses spectators with her elegant gowns while at other times, she surprises everyone with her head-turning headpieces created by famous milliner Philip Treacy.

I had an exclusive interview with Sarah for The Buzz. It was an exhilarating verbal calisthenics. Sarah admitted she was thrilled coming over to Manila for the Love to Shop campaign of SM. “I was very flattered and surprised to be asked. The idea to have this opportunity for the first time in my life to travel to the Philippines and see this country even briefly and learn more about it. These are the kinds of privileged opportunities I find very hard to say no to.”  

Sarah is queasy about the “fashion icon” tag although she loves dressing up when the occasion calls for it. Is being stylish a natural talent or something she has learned along the way? “Why is it that a lot a people in the room can look a certain way? It’s a way of distinguishing yourself from everybody else and that’s the relationship you have with clothes. I think I’ve always loved well-made clothes. But I think the time I spent on Sex and the City gave me an entirely different experience in fashion. I think I learned to break the rules.” 

I asked her in jest what she will wear when it’s time for her to enter the Pearly Gates. “I would probably wear an old Galanos dress. It’s a dress that I’ve always had in my closet. It’s an old-thrift-store dress and it always suits every occasion.” She was referring to American designer James Galanos.

Sarah is a staunch supporter of the arts and education movement in the United States. Her being a public figure transcends boundaries. “I think emotionally what it does — it’s an outlet. To have the opportunity to express yourself, to learn to look at art and have a feeling and tell a story. I think it enriches people’s lives here in your country to be more open to learn about tolerance and diversity. I think those make us better people,” she explained. 

Sarah won four Golden Globe Awards, two Emmy Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards for her iconic role in Sex and the City. After portraying her famous character for more than a decade, how much of Sarah is Carrie Bradshaw and vice-versa? She answered, “As I’ve always been saying, we look alike, we sound alike, we love New York City and we have great affection for fashion but I think our lives have been very, very different. Radically different! But that’s why it’s so much fun to play her for so long because in reality, for about 10 or 12 years, I was living a double life. I got to play this very colorful person during the day and then had a slightly more conventional life at night.”  

The international actress enjoys living her life to the fullest. Sarah is happily married to actor Matthew Broderick and has three kids James, Marion and Tabitha. If her life is made into a movie, Sarah wants it to be titled I Should’ve Taken More Pictures.

At the end of the interview, I asked her what I will tell people if they ask me how is Sarah Jessica Parker in person. She told me, “Decent, kind, respectful.”

“Genuine,” I added.