A Morning in the Fashion Closet: Vogue100 Celebrated Sarah Jessica Parker and the SJP Collection

Sarah Jessica Parker. Photographed by Ryan Sides

The recently refreshed Vogue fashion closet, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline, was the quintessential New York setting for Vogue100 to celebrate quintessential New Yorker Sarah Jessica Parker and her SJP Collection of shoes and accessories.

Hosted by Vogue’s Accessories and Collaborations Director, Willow Lindley, the sprawling “closet” never looked finer: every surface was adorned with Sarah Jessica’s dazzling handmade Italian shoes. A scan of the assortment revealed elegant and occasionally playful designs, exquisite detailing, and signature use of color, satin, crystals, and sparkles on pumps and stiletto sandals.

As guests sampled Invivo X wine (another flourishing SJP business), the actor-cum-entrepreneur spent a relaxed morning in the company of Vogue100 and an impressive number of Vogue editors and directors who turned out to honor her, including Chioma Nnadi, Sergio Kletnoy, Lilah Ramzi, Naomi Elizée, Maddy Fass, and Mai Morsch. Anna Wintour also stopped by to admire the collection and greet her old friend, who has appeared on seven American Vogue covers over the years.

Stunning breakfast tables lined with bouquets of peonies, ranunculus, and hellebores by Raúl Àvila— the floral mastermind known for his work at the Met Gala, the Oscars, and the Tonys— brought the scent of springtime into the room while guests dined on a seasonal menu of vegetable frittatas with sweet potato hash, Moroccan spiced avocado toast, and field greens with delicate pods of baby peas aligned like a string of pearls.

The highlight, of course, was the moderated conversation between Lindley and Parker. The subject matter? Everyone s favorite topic of shoe shopping. “The best part of the retail experience is the human exchange,” Parker mused. “In my other profession [acting], I don’t typically meet the people for whom I’m working…I’ll never have the opportunity to talk to them, understand their story, or where they come from. But in retail, you’re on the floor with them, literally. Not only is it a romantic and sentimental experience, but you learn a lot about what people need, what we’re doing well, and where there are holes. It’s an incredible experience.”

As morning turned to midday, Parker table-hopped to chat with everyone as breakfast concluded. Guest perused the satin pumps and, at one point, Parker was spotted pulling off the polka-dotted pair of mismatched “Dish” pumps she was wearing to offer them to a guest who happened to share her shoe size.

Eventually, reluctant farewells were made, but plans were hatched to visit the new SJP Collection flagship store on the corner of Bleecker and Perry—conveniently located near a certain stoop (IYKYK). All in all, the itinerary made for an absolutely perfect New York day.