Most of the costumes in "Sex and the City" seemed too expensive for her writer's salary. Yet one of her most iconic pieces was well within her budget. The tiered tutu that star Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the show's opening scene cost just $5 — at least until she became famous in 1997. The dress was recently auctioned for more than 10,000 times its original price.
The origin story of the tutu
The newly auctioned tulle tutu comes from the archives of stylist and costume designer Patricia Field, according to a listing from Julien's Auctions. It was one of five identical tutus she found in a $5 dumpster in New York's Garment District in 1997 while shopping for a copy of "Sex and the City." Field thought it was a good choice for the opening sequence of "Carrie" because it wasn't tied to a specific year. Like the spring 1998 Marc Jacobs show dress they used in a never-used version during the closing credits.
"I showed it to Sarah Jessica and she loved it!" The skirt's certificate of authenticity has the word Field on it. "She sensed the idea, even though some people on the show didn't get it right away. We ended up shooting three costume options for the opening, but this was the most original concept yet."
large auction
The tutu was sold alongside the Sex and the City Season 1 DVD and movie, and sure enough, the garment's special place in television history drove up the price. Julien estimated it would sell for $8,000 to $12,000, but it ended up selling for much more. After 24 bids, the tulle skirt sold for $52,000, 10,400 times more than its original price. Field could have bought everything in that $5 box and still be below the 2024 auction price.
However, the importance of the tutu is significant. For Field, it encapsulates what makes Sex and the City special. "Tutu-style dresses were whimsical, adventurous, and unexpected—a bit like the show," she wrote in her 2023 memoir , Pat in the City , British Vogue reported. She also remembers telling creator Darren Star, "If the show is a hit, the opening will be memorable and keep it fresh." She was right.
Another kind of tutu
While Field is putting her tutus up for auction, at least a few others are still owned by members of the Sex and the City team. She bought five because Carrie got splashed by a bus in the closing credits and they needed to have multiple on hand for more than one shot. Parker revealed she still owns a tutu from the February 2022 Vogue Life in Looks collection. "A lot of people claim they own tutus," she said. "I think Pat (Field) had one, Michael Patrick (King) had one. We only used one. ... Where is it, who owns it? I get it."
