For One Night Only, Jimmy Choo and Moda Operandi Recreated Carrie Bradshaw’s New York
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Among the dozens of unforgettable shoes—namely, Jimmy Choos—worn by Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, one stands out as an emblem of early-2000s fashion: The Boot, a python, knee-high, pointed-toe Jimmy Choo boot that appears in Season 3, Episode 2. Carrie, fresh from another retail therapy session, is lugging deep-plum Jimmy Choo shopping bags. In classic Carrie form, she contemplates her latest romantic entanglement from her West Village stoop, wearing a messy bun, a fur coat, and those boots. The boots embody the glamour, grit, and overall chaos of Carrie’s early wardrobe—and somehow, they feel even more covetable now.
Last night, in a balloon-filled bar downtown, those aughts-coded boots returned to the spotlight at the launch of The Archive: 1997–2001, a capsule collection from Jimmy Choo and Moda Operandi. Hosted at Onieal’s—the Soho corner bar once used as “Scout,” Aidan and Steve’s hangout on Sex and the City—the party celebrated Jimmy Choo’s 30th anniversary and featured re-editions of eight archival styles from the brand’s first five years, available exclusively at Moda.
Moda Operandi’s Editor at Large, Tatiana Hambro, wore "The Boots," herself. “Do you remember this?” she asked, showing a still of Carrie strutting in the boots with her signature shopping bags. “They even brought back the old ’90s packaging—it’s this very specific shade of purple. So iconic.”
Sandra Choi, Jimmy Choo’s creative director, spoke to the synergy between the house and Moda Operandi: “I’ve always admired Lauren Santo Domingo’s personal style,” she said. “Moda doesn’t just sell fashion—they connect with women. That spirit mirrors Jimmy Choo’s own. New York has always been part of our brand’s heartbeat—dynamic, expressive, stylish—and this partnership brings that to life for a woman who knows her style and owns it.”
Inside, the scene recalled not just the early days of Choo, but of Carrie’s New York. Guests sipped Grey Goose Cosmopolitans while Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” pulsed through the speakers (and maybe a Spice Girls hit or two). Pink and purple Balloon Saloon balloons hovered over trays of mini burgers and polenta fries, passed as guests debuted newly released reissues like The Strappy, The Slide, and The Bow. Each shoe oozed early-aughts maximalism—black thong heels, strappy stilettos, and unapologetic femininity.
Genuine excitement filled the room. Artist Angelica Hicks, actress Jessie Andrews, model Aweng Chuol, and writer Laura Reilly mingled and swapped first memories of Jimmy Choo and Carrie’s closet. “I wasn’t allowed to watch Sex and the City growing up,” Andrews confessed. “I didn’t know about Jimmy Choo until later. And now I get to buy these shoes—as a woman in New York—that never go out of style? It’s thrilling.”
Stylist Jessi Frederick added, “I love when designers go back to their DNA. Reviving these styles is part of this larger movement—tapping the archive to bring us back to another time and place.”
Indeed, for one night only, a bar on the corner of Grand and Centre conjured the magic of Carrie’s New York—a world where a good pair of heels could change everything.
Photo: Paige Powell1/21Alice McNally
Photo: Paige Powell2/21April Hennig