Hardly a day goes by without a new promotional photo or online reference to the “Sex and the City” reboot, so, as Carrie Bradshaw herself would say, “I was wondering, what’s the new Carrie necklace going to be?”
For those of you who don’t remember — or were too young for the original series which ran from 1998 to 2004 — Carrie, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, had a gold necklace with her name in fluent script.
“It didn’t cost anything,” the character said in an episode when she thought she’d lost the piece. But the nameplate necklace became one of the show’s enduring product links, like Manolo Blahnik’s stilettos — even symbolizing Carrie’s rediscovery of herself when she found it in her vintage Dior purse in the series finale.
It’s still early days, as the reboot — dubbed “And Just Like That…” after another Carrie catchphrase — won’t premiere on HBO Max until later this year. But Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago, the costume designers, have selected jewelry ranging from a Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas watch (up to $50,000 in some metals) to an elastic bracelet hand-sewn from an old tablecloth and fastened with vintage rhinestones. brooches by the Berlin-based design duo Rianna + Nina (450 euros or $530).
Most of the creations, even custom pieces, were loaned out for filming, but the serial production did buy a few.
Neither Ms. Rogers nor Mr. Santiago are doing interviews anymore, as an email from an HBO media relations manager said, “August is just too early as we won’t be debuting until later this year.” (Although the designers do have a “live from the set” Instagram page, @andjustlikethatcostumes, with over 54,000 followers.)
But some jewelry makers talk about their creations selected for the series.
A frontrunner for the next Carrie necklace could be a $595 turquoise and malachite cord “because the necklace really shows” around Ms. Parker’s neck still in official publicity for the new series, said Allison Fry, creator of the chain, which founded the Fry Powers brand in 2018.
(The necklace sold out at MatchesFashion in mid-August, according to an email from the retailer.)
Ms. Fry, 34, said she created the twine’s glittering pattern by mixing and matching 72 beads, comparing the process to “when you’re thinking about putting together an outfit and seeing what works.” She also made two other pieces for Carrie: a violet enamel ring accented with a baroque pearl and a violet enamel cuff.
Another contender, seen in paparazzi photos: a gold chain with a New York state charm.
Not that the rest of the main characters won’t have standout pieces of their own, like the two white diamond pavé hearts on a round link necklace created by Jennifer Fisher and lent to the series for Charlotte York, played by Kristin Davis.
Customized on the reverse with the initials of Charlotte’s two on-screen daughters (L for Lily Goldenblatt, played by Cathy Ang, and R for Rose Goldenblatt, played by Alexa Swinton), each of the hearts has 39 diamonds and it took two weeks to make to make, said Mrs. Fisher.
“I don’t know if they’ll ever turn them over while they’re shooting,” she said.
In the two ‘Sex and the City’ feature films that debuted in 2008 and 2010, Mrs. Fisher’s designs were worn at one point or another by all four main characters, including Samantha Jones, played by Kim Cattrall, and Miranda Hobbes, played by Cynthia Nixon. (Mrs. Cattrall is not joining the new series.)
But, Ms. Fisher said, she believes jewelry could have more of an impact on television because “people tend to rewatch episodes of a television series.”
Designers say necklaces worn by new cast members can also be contenders at the Carrie level.
There’s the chunky red polyester necklace from Danish brand Monies (pronounced MON-yus) worn by Park Avenue’s mom and documentary filmmaker Lisa Todd Wexley, played by ‘Empire’ Nicole Ari Parker.
The $630 necklace has garnered more than 1,200 likes on Instagram fan page @justlikethatcloset and has prompted Grazia magazine to declare Lisa “will be the show’s new ambassador for power necklaces”.
It could be a Carrie bracelet that replaces the Carrie necklace, because according to London jewelry designer Rosa de la Cruz, 51, a piece becomes iconic depending on when it’s seen and who wears it.
And her chunky ebony and 18-karat gold chain bracelet — listed at 2,595 British pounds, or $3,590 and purchased by the production company — was worn by Carrie in the series’ official publicity photo, as well as in the opening scene between Carrie and her husband, Mr. . Big, played by Chris Noth.
“It’s like being on the front of a magazine,” said Ms. de la Cruz, adding, “her fashion choices get the most attention.”
Examples: Carrie’s scene with Big, posted by @andjustlikethathbo on Instagram on August 3, was viewed 14,440 times in 24 hours. And on TikTok there are almost 37 million views of #andjustlikethat. No wonder user @letty0531 commented, “I have a feeling we’ll know the whole story by the time they finish filming.”
Social media is stalking news about the new series, such as the Instagram fan page @justlikethatcloset created by Victoria Bazalinchuk, 23, a teacher in Odessa, Ukraine, on July 10. She now has over 80,000 followers.
“There were a few brands that contacted me and said that certain characters wore/will wear their pieces. For example, Carrie’s new favorite brand Fry Powers, or Lisa’s Ana Srdic rings,” Ms. Bazalinchuk wrote in an email. And of course, sometimes followers find the items and send them to me.” (She said she became a fan of “Sex and the City” after watching her mother’s DVD box set of the series, as “I was quite a child when the original series aired.”)
Her site isn’t the only one boosting fan expectation. For example, @everyoutfitonsatc has 711,000 followers on Instagram for his satirical take on the series. And when Ms. Parker posted on Instagram about reading the script for the first time, @system_bleu commented that she can’t wait for the new show. “Just finished the series – AGAIN… for the 13th time. This is huge,” she wrote. “The show spoke to so many of us and it’s part of who we are today.”
Some designers and fans say Ms. Cattrall’s decision to stop playing Samantha is a loss, but others are looking forward to the change. “Let’s not all have the same people,” said Ms Srdic, 63, the Johannesburg jeweler whose $1,200 unpolished citrine ring was lent for Lisa’s wardrobe.
Ms. de la Cruz agreed, adding, “Maybe this will free the plot into a different dynamic.”
While the debut date of the series has not yet been announced, many fans already have plans.
For example, Ms. Fisher said she will be at home in New York City. “Maybe I’ll make a cosmopolitan to celebrate while we watch,” she said, referring to Carrie’s favorite cocktail. “And have some friends over. It will be fun.”
