Carrie Bradshaw’s Iconic ‘Sex and the City’ Tutu Hits the Auction Block
As it turns out, Carrie Bradshaw was right: fashion can be an investment. The iconic tutu that the character wore in the opening of Sex and the City 25 years ago will hit the auction block. It is expected to go for many times what show stylist Patricia Field paid for the iconic piece back in the 1990s.
Carrie Bradshaw’s ‘Sex and the City’ tutu is being auctioned off
Sex and the City fans hoping to own an iconic piece of Sex and the City history officially have a chance. The infamous tutu Carrie wore during the show’s opening sequence is on the auction block. Auction house Julien’s Auctions listed the item earlier this month.
The tutu started with an opening bid of $2,000. It is estimated to sell for between $8,000 and $12,000 before the bidding window closes. The tutu’s winning bid was at $9,000 as of press time. The item is just one of dozens of iconic pieces in the auction, although no other iconic Sex and the City items appeared in the lot. The auction house, however, is auctioning off a Christian Dior newspaper dress, much like the one Carrie wore in the series—a similar dress sold at auction last year for more than $16,000.
This won’t be the first time a Sex and the City fashion piece is sold at auction. In September, Sotheby’s sold the iconic bird headpiece Sarah Jessica Parker wore in Sex and the City: The Movie. The headpiece, part of Carrie’s wedding ensemble, was a vintage headpiece from the 1800s. While the piece was expected to sell for between $40,000 and $80,000, it ultimately sold for just over $25,000.
The tutu was purchased for just $5 in 1998
Patricia Field was tasked with styling the cast of Sex and the City from the series’ incarnation. While designers were knocking down Field’s door to be featured on the show by season 2, she did not have designer buy-in or a massive budget during season 1. The famed stylist dug through bargain bins to source outfits for the show. The iconic tutu was one of those gems. She purchased the piece for $5, and Parker was immediately taken by it. It took some persuading to get everyone on board, though.
According to Vanity Fair, Darren Star needed to be convinced the tutu was the right choice for the series. The then-showrunner relented and allowed the tutu to be used in the opening sequence but also requested an alternative outfit. The sequence was also filmed with Carrie in a blue dress. Ultimately, the tutu sequence was used.
