"I don't let myself get bored with clothes," Patricia Field told me on Wednesday. The queen of Carrie Bradshaw's closet was holding court in a midtown Manhattan restaurant discussing the ensembles in "Sex and the City 2." "As long as I discover new visions, whether it's movies or TV or just creating, I don't get bored. I get bored if it gets too repetitive."
Somehow, after six seasons of the series on HBO and one movie under her studded stylist's belt, Field found herself inspired upon reading the "Sex and the City 2" script. She had no problem clothing the aging foursome, explaining, "You are as young as your heart is. You see young people who have a heavy heart, they don't look young and pretty and vibrant. You see some women who are old and they're so together, they're still feeling it and pumping it. They're not running around in pinafores. They're not teenagers."
Check out some of the ensembles from the movie, with Field's commentary, and scroll down to keep reading.
Although it appears that Field could have any garment in her hands in a New York minute, she maintains that she is not designer-oriented: "I identify with the script and the story and the character. If the costume fits in the scene on the character, that's what it is. It's not John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein. But in the movie there was a lot of Halston."
Whether or not the stream of Halston duds had anything to do with Sarah Jessica Parker's new role at the design house, Field said she turned to the brand to convey a specific message. "I did it because I was making a statement and that statement was, I am sick of all these goddamn stupid shapes and looking like a lampshade, a balloon, a bubble, a spacekid," she explained. "I want to be chic and simple because I'm up to here with that other shit. So give me Halston."
But with all good wardrobes comes a hefty price tag, in this case, one that's been calculated by some mode mathematicians to be $10 million for the entire cast's clothes. Field called that number "a load of jimmerish."
"Every week it goes up a few million," Field remarked. "I don't know what it all cost. We had a big budget...in fact, there was probably no budget. I was never told, 'No, you can't spend any more money.' But I'm not a crazy spender, I watch my Ps and Qs, meaning if I can get something for free, I'll go the extra mile and get it for free. I'm very responsible on that level. The overall cost wasn't $10 million. I think I said that but I made that up. I don't think we spent a million dollars. Above $500,000, yes. Maybe $800,000. But that's a guess."
Field is truly level-headed when it comes to designer labels. She said, "Balmain--granted they do it nice--but they're doing a motorcycle jacket. And these people with all of this money would never buy a motorcycle jacket or a pair of boots at a punk rock store on St. Marks Place for $150...but they're happy to buy it designed by Balmain for $20,000. It's insane. They don't have a mind of their own. I have no patience for that."
So what would the stars wear in "Sex and the City 7?"
"Hospital gowns," Field laughed. "I don't know what they would be wearing in 'Sex and the City 7.' What is 'Sex and the City 7' about? Is it a musical?"
One thing's for sure, Field won't be celebrating its opening with any Cosmos of the future. She said she's a straight vodka drinker and even recently lent her creative eye to a redesign of SKYY Vodka's bottle.