Even though she's a huge star now--with acting, singing, dancing and producing credits to her name (did you know she was little orphan Annie on Broadway?)--Sarah Jessica Parker had a pretty humble beginning. From a big family with not a lot of money, Parker spent a lot of her childhood in hand-me-downs. She credits her mother for making her family's exhausted clothing look new and nice.
After the mind-boggling success of her fashion genius alter ego Carrie Bradshaw, Steve and Barry's, a discount clothing store, approached Parker about designing a line for them. Parker, who says she doesn't sketch or sew, hesitated, but agreed. Her line, which debuted last year, is called Bitten. Recently the New York Times published an article on Steve and Barry's which has recently taken discount clothing to a new realm: nearly EVERYTHING in their stores (Amanda Bynes' line of hoodies, SJP's clothing, Stephon Marbury basketball kicks) is under ten dollars. As Michelle said in her earlier post: the American economy is hurting and Steve and Barry have sensed and are now fueling a revolution in clothing retail.
I have been following Bitten since it became available. I would loll on the website, watching interviews with her and feeling pretty stoked about a line of rad clothes that wouldn't break my bank. Parker/Bradshaw has a reputation now as a fashion trend setter who isn't afraid to try anything--and looks great in everything. Although, slightly over-the-top sometimes, Parker always looks radiant and unusual. Initially, I thought that Bitten would have the same flair.
It doesn't. If Land's End had a super-duper discount line--it would be Bitten. A little hipper than Uniqlo, a little more mature than Old Navy.
Notice, I did NOT say the clothing was ugly or undesirable. It's not. It's very safe. It's crisp, clean--"preppy" if you will--and I think would definitely appeal to the young wants-to-look-nice-but-is-broke mother. It has no funk, but that's not to say it has no class. And to SJP's credit--she designs this stuff AND she wears it. But the Bitten dresses and shirts I've seen on the rack at the Carousel Mall (there is a Steve and Barry's in the basement) have been total disappointments. They look totally bland and without personality--and often a total mess.
But here's the thing: Bitten looks a lot better on the website. The clothes are sorted into rad combinations and outfits--even if a particular Bitten website get-up is not totally you, it's still solid and decent enough to not be heinous or gag-inspiring. Online, Bitten looks alright--decent clothes for really rad prices.
But in the store--where no one is looking out for them in quite the way they should--the clothes end up on the floor or falling off the hangers or dirty. They are never on models or assembled into whole ensembles. They look like what a savvy shopper is afraid they really are: flimsy and cheap.
I am stoked by SJP's and Steve and Barry's thinking: decent clothes at amazing prices. But I think that they could do a lot to sophisticate their image. 1) Bitten looks nice on the website, but I CAN'T ORDER anything off the website. There is no Steve and Barry's where I grew up--so what do I do if I see something I want? Write SJP a letter? Go without? Make a special trip to the one in Midtown? People should really be able to order these clothes online. 2) Nothing says "crap clothing" like a store that behaves like a barn. Managers need to be out there keeping clothing on the rack and neat and presentable. Clothing is about presentation, about looking good. People won't buy it if it looks like cheap crap.
Check out SJP in some of her Bitten line (above.)
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