‘I was in love with him’: Sarah Jessica Parker on Alexander McQueen and her iconic Met Gala looks

‘I have every pin he dropped from his mouth in my possession still,’ the Sex and City star reveals

Joanna Whitehead
Tuesday 26 April 2022 13:00 BST
Comments
<p>Sarah Jessica Parker and Steve McQueen at the 2006 Met Gala</p>

Sarah Jessica Parker and Steve McQueen at the 2006 Met Gala

Sarah Jessica Parker has looked back on some of her most unforgettable Met Gala looks with Alexander McQueen, stating that she was “in love with him”.

The Sex and the City star recorded a short film for Vogue which sees her reflect on some of her defining fashion moments, including her 2006 appearance when she and the British designer arrived in matching tartan for the AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion theme.

The 57-year-old said she “immediately” wanted to work with McQueen for the look, but felt that she “didn’t really know him well enough to be so presumptuous [to assume he would want to come with me].”

Studying the photograph of the pair, Parker notes that what strikes her most about the image is “where our heads are, how careful I'm being, or cautious... The shyer he was, the more shy I became. I see that in this. I feel like I’m literally saying ‘Are you OK?’”

Loading....

The groundbreaking designer died by suicide in 2010 at the age of 40.

Parker continued: “It wasn't a fun night. It was, but it wasn't. Because I was so nervous. I just wanted him to be okay.

“He knew how I felt about him, and there was so much affection and such a deep admiration and everybody loved him because he was such a touching person.

“Like everybody else, I was in love with him,” she told Vogue. I have every pin he dropped from his mouth in my possession still. I have everything he cut off in my possession still. I have things that seem like nothing, from every fitting I ever did with him in my possession.”

The Met Gala paid homage to the late designer in 2011 with the theme of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.

Other gowns worn over the years that Parker talks us through include designs by Halston, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Monse and Dolce and Gabbana.

Reflecting on the creative time and energy devoted to the high profile event, Parker added: “Whenever I go to the Met, I don’t understand how everyone else didn’t spend seven to 10 months working on it [their outfit].

“It is an assignment, and you should interpret it, and it should be labour-intensive, and it should be challenging - and it would be so easy to find a beautiful dress to wear that night - that would be a great relief - but that is not the assignment.”

The 2022 Met Gala is set to take place on Monday 2 May.

The theme is “In America: An Anthology of Fashion”, which will celebrate the history of American fashion.

Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Lin-Manuel Miranda are set to co-chair the star-studded event, while US Vogue editor Anna Wintour and designer Tom Ford are the honorary co-chairs.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in