The End Of An Era: Revisiting Sex And The City’s Most Iconic Fashion Moments
As the beloved series bows out, we look back at the luxury brands and unforgettable looks that defined its style legacy
After decades of cosmopolitans, heartbreaks, and unforgettable nights in New York City, Sex and the City has finally reached its closing chapter as the sequel, And Just Like That has been discontinued after the third and the final season, this year. For fans, the end is bittersweet—Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda may have walked their last scripted stroll down Manhattan’s avenues, but the legacy of the show lingers far beyond the screen. More than a story about friendship and love, it was also a story about fashion. Each season gifted us with looks that became cultural touchstones, from Manolo Blahnik heels to Dior dresses and Fendi Baguettes. As the curtain falls on this iconic series, it feels only right to revisit the luxury brands and style moments that shaped Sex and the City into the ultimate fashion time capsule.
Manolo Blahnik: The Love Story
No brand is more entwined with Sex and the City than Manolo Blahnik. For Carrie, Manolos weren’t just shoes—they were soulmates. The blue satin Hangisi pumps set with a crystal brooch famously became her unconventional “engagement ring” from Big, making the heels as emotionally charged as any diamond. Over the years, Carrie’s shoe closet—stacked with Blahniks—taught the world that stilettos could carry the weight of love, heartbreak, and everything in between.
Fendi: The First It-Bag
“It’s not a bag; it’s a Baguette.” With that line, Carrie cemented Fendi’s Baguette as the world’s first true It-bag. The compact shoulder bag, in all its many iterations, became shorthand for late ’90s cool. It wasn’t just an accessory—it was a storyline, a statement, and in many ways, the moment designer handbags became aspirational pop culture icons.
Dior: Scandal and Chic
Carrie’s Dior newspaper dress by John Galliano remains one of the most remembered fashion moments in television history. Worn during a dramatic apology scene, the dress was a perfect fusion of satire, scandal, and style. Its return to the spotlight years later (thanks to Kim Kardashian) only proves how timeless Sex and the City’s fashion impact truly was.
Gucci: Bold Street Style
Carrie turned heads with Gucci’s iconic designs—from logo pieces to unexpected accessories like the Gucci fanny pack that sent shockwaves through early 2000s fashion. Playful yet daring, Gucci on Sex and the City embodied Carrie’s fearless relationship with street style—proving that luxury wasn’t just for runways, but for city sidewalks too.
Chanel: The Power of a Classic
From quilted bags to bold accessories, Chanel threaded its way throughout the series. For Charlotte, Chanel often represented her Upper East Side sensibilities, while for Carrie, a pink Chanel bag could just as easily be paired with a tutu or an oversized flower corsage. The brand’s presence underscored how timeless luxury could morph to fit different personalities.
Prada: Everyday Luxe
Unlike some of the flashier brands, Prada’s sleek skirts, tailored jackets, and playful prints offered an approachable kind of luxury. Charlotte’s lipstick-print skirt, which Kristin Davis famously kept after filming, epitomized Prada’s fun yet practical elegance. Carrie, too, frequently turned to Prada when she needed a stylish contrast to her more whimsical fashion experiments.
Tiffany & Co.: Romance in a Blue Box
Few brands captured the essence of romance in Sex and the City quite like Tiffany. Charlotte’s search for “the most beautiful engagement ring they have” at the jeweller reflected the aspirational side of New York love stories. Tiffany wasn’t just jewellery—it was the symbol of commitment, refinement, and the classic Upper East Side dream.
Dolce & Gabbana: The Runway Moment
Carrie’s disastrous, unforgettable fall at a Dolce & Gabbana runway show became one of the show’s funniest yet most glamorous moments. While Heidi Klum strutted past her, Carrie’s hand-painted corset gown proved that even in fashion “roadkill”, luxury could still shine. D&G was drama, spectacle, and unapologetic femininity—all central to the show’s DNA.
Ralph Lauren: Polished Perfection
Seen more prominently in the films, Ralph Lauren’s all-American elegance played perfectly against Carrie’s quirky styling. From brooches to polished dresses, the brand captured the New York high society polish that Charlotte often gravitated toward, while still providing Carrie with the kind of adaptable luxury she loved to twist into her own.
Versace: The Fairytale Dress
No fashion image from the show is more breathtaking than Carrie, asleep in Paris, drowning in layers of Atelier Versace tulle. The $80,000 gown was so extravagant it almost eclipsed the drama of her failing relationship with Aleksandr Petrovsky. Costume designer Patricia Field named it her favourite piece in the series—a fitting swan song for Carrie’s fashion journey in the original run.
A Full-Circle Westwood Moment
In And Just Like That… (2021), Carrie Bradshaw revisited one of her most iconic fashion moments—her Vivienne Westwood wedding gown from the 2008 Sex and the City movie. This time, the look was reimagined with a sweeping teal satin cape and an extravagant feathered fascinator paired with a delicate veil, giving the dress an entirely new theatrical energy.
The choice wasn’t accidental—it was fashion storytelling at its most symbolic. In 2008, the Westwood gown marked heartbreak when Big left Carrie at the altar. In 2021, the revival brought it back as a sign of resilience, reinvention, and Carrie’s eternal romance with style. By layering on the dramatic accessories, the look became a bridge between the old and the new—a sartorial nod to her past while embracing the drama of her present. It was Carrie Bradshaw in her truest form: nostalgic yet daring, whimsical yet powerful, always making fashion the most important character in her story.
Fashion’s Lasting Footprint
The genius of Sex and the City wasn’t just in its storylines—it was in how it turned brands into characters, moments into fashion history, and clothing into emotion. Decades later, Manolos, Fendi Baguettes, and Dior dresses are still shorthand for Carrie Bradshaw’s world, proof that fashion wasn’t just part of the show—it was the show.