Sarah Jessica Parker paid tribute to the legendary British fashion designer, Vivienne Westwood, after her death at age 81 on Dec. 29. Parker, 57, commented on the post from the official “And Just Like That Costumes” Instagram page, specifically on the post celebrating the Westwood wedding gown that Sarah’s Carrie Bradshaw wore on Sex and the City. “Thank you, Vivienne!!! You were such a big part of our fashion lives! Rest in peace, punk sistah,” wrote the account. Sarah chimed in, writing, “Sob. Xxx.”
As Sex and the City fans know, Vivienne Westwood designed the iconic dress Carrie wore for her elaborate and unfortunately canceled wedding to Big during the second franchise film, which was released in 2010. It’s one of the most iconic wedding dresses of all time to be featured in a movie and was a wedding dress inspiration before the film was even released. The layered gown was so popular that a knee-length version of the dress sold out on NETAPORTER.COM in just hours in 2009, according to British Vogue.
The dress was brought back for the second season of the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, when they were filming this year. Sarah Jessica Parker was spotted on the New York City set wearing it in November, sparking a debate amongst fans about who she may be marrying in the iconic gown. Fans will find out why she put it back on when the season debuts on HBO Max in 2023.
As noted above, the dress’s beloved designer died on Thursday at 81. Her eponymous fashion house announced the news on their official Twitter account and said she passed “peacefully and surrounded by her family” in South London. “The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better,” they kindly added.
Celebrities instantly flooded social media with tributes to the late designer, including Sarah’s former Sex and the City co-star, Kim Cattrall. “A true genius who never lost her northern grit,” she wrote alongside a photo of herself smiling with the famous designer. She then recalled a fashion emergency Vivienne turned around by making her a custom dress in three days for her upcoming film premiere, plus two more dresses. “I’ve never forgotten her generosity and kindness in making that happen and saving the day,” she added.
John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono also shared a snapshot of herself with Vivienne. “Rest in peace, Vivienne. What a woman – so young at heart, motivated, beautiful and elegant,” she wrote in a heartfelt tweet. “Our love and deepest condolences go out to Andreas, Ben, Joseph, and families.”
Actress Juliette Lewis took to Instagram to say some sweet words about the fashion icon. “She was absolutely uncompromising in her Authoritative- but oh so cool- poise, sustainable EVERYTHING. She was always creating for the future by looking unflinchingly and seeringly into the now,” she wrote. “She didn’t just question main stream age & beauty standards. She didn’t even see or acknowledge them as having anything to do with the relevance and necessity for individualistic aesthetic expression.”