Season two of HBO Max’s “And Just Like That” starts on a high note, with Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, Seema Patel, and Lisa Todd Wexley prepping to attend the Met Gala. When Bradshaw’s anticipated outfit doesn’t work out as planned, she pulls from the archives, and lands on a dress with plenty of significance for “Sex and the City” fans. While we’ve seen Sarah Jessica Parker repurpose everything from Bradshaw’s Roger belt to her favorite Fendi baguettes (even working with the brand to design a capsule collection of purses debuted at New York Fashion Week), her character’s infamous Vivienne Westwood wedding dress and bird headpiece felt like a thing of the past. In season two, it becomes the answer to her getting-ready conundrum ahead of the Met Ball – and it’s reimagined in a totally different way (when it first appeared in the 2008 movie, Bradshaw wore it to marry Mr. Big, though the ceremony never actually took place).
This fashion moment highlights the theme of season two in its entirety, which costume designer Molly Rogers describes as “hopeful” in an interview with POPSUGAR. Rogers works with Danny Santiago to dream up the show’s impressive wardrobe, and the duo look back at old “Sex and the City” episodes less frequently than you’d think. While there are Instagram accounts devoted to making sartorial connections to the original show, Rogers said she’s focused on the now. “For me, it’s more inspirational to look at what’s right in front of my face, whether it’s online, in a store, or if a young designer has reached out,” she said.
Ahead, Rogers discusses the cast’s season two style transformation, her use of archival “SATC” accessories, and the one new character she was really excited to dress. Read on for the full interview and then check out our favorite outfits from the “And Just Like That” series so far.
Related: Patricia Field on Creating Iconic Looks on “Emily in Paris” and “Sex and the City”
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On the Style Transformation From Seasons 1 to 2
POPSUGAR: Do you imagine that any of the characters has undergone a style transformation from seasons one to two?
Molly Rogers: Season one – not only for Carrie, but for everyone, including the audience – was picked up from where we saw them last [in “Sex and the City“]. Miranda had different colored hair and was no longer a lawyer. There were all these growth spurts. Then, in season two, we had the funeral and that solemn occasion that we had to deal with. And we had to introduce all those new characters in season one – all the other ladies.
When I started reading the script for season two, it felt like it fell into its own rhythm because we weren’t introducing people. It had a familiarity to it. As in life, when you’re recovering from a tragedy, it’s all about how you go through it or around it; under it or over it. I thought it was really interesting for season two to have a different tone. For me, it felt hopeful. We all have to deal with death in life, and it never happens when we want it to, or when it’s convenient. I thought that was a really difficult adjustment for the audience, and I was really curious to see what would happen next. It got my curiosity up. The show is a comedy, and I just felt like season two had a little more shenanigans happening.
Craig Blankenhorn/HBO Max
On Bringing Back Carrie's Old Accessories
PS: In season one, you revisited a lot of Carrie’s old accessories from “Sex and the City.” Are there any examples you can tease for season two?
MR: We had a lot of archives that we could pull from. When I read the script for episode one with the Met Gala, and Carrie’s original gown doesn’t fit, I thought, “OK, she has to pull something and wear it that doesn’t necessarily have a great memory attached to it.” But she repurposed that wedding gown, and we saw her heading to an event that was going to be great fun and joy, with all her girlfriends there. So I really liked that idea. It’s not just something from the archives that fans love looking at – like the Roger belt or the Eiffel Tower bag – but something that has a real story behind it. Carrie just thought, “I’ve got to repurpose that, it’s my only option.”
Craig Blankenhorn/HBO Max
On Dressing the Original "Sex and the City" Characters
PS: How often do you go back and look at the main characters in “Sex and the City,” and allow their original aesthetics to inspire what they wear now, at this stage in their lives?
MR: I am mesmerized by accounts on Instagram that make comparisons. It’s really fun to look at, because I don’t ever go back in time. I just proceed with what is in front of me. But I do like the accounts that are like, “Look, Charlotte wore Dior here, and she’s in Dior there.” It has such a common thread, without even knowing that we did that. It seems like there are bookends with the original show and “AJLT,” but I haven’t looked there.
Our fitting room is so beautiful, and we love to fill it up with beautiful things. It’s such a great place to create outfits with everyone and be collaborative, but I really like to bring things that none of us have seen. Even if it’s a sweatshirt that Sarah Jessica gags for – and there’s one in this season that comes at a really special scene. I think that’s really important. What have I not seen? What excites me? What do we want to bring back that we know Kristin Davis is going to go crazy for? For me, it’s more inspirational to look at what’s right in front of my face, whether it’s online, in a store, or if a young designer has reached out.
Craig Blankenhorn/HBO Max
On Dressing the New "And Just Like That" Characters
PS: Were there any characters you were specifically excited to dress this season, in comparison to season one?
MR: All the girls from season one are really incredible to pull clothes for – Nicole Ari Parker, Sarita Choudhury, and Karen Pittman. But somebody that I get really excited to look around for is Lisette, played by Katerina Tannenbaum. That is someone who I consider to be a younger Carrie, so it’s really fun to play with her. We saw her in season one, but she was having a rough time. Now, in season two, she’s got her career popping a little bit. She’s edgy and fun. We can go underground shopping for her because she’s got her finger to the pulse.
Danny and I went to Paris last summer for six days before we started prepping. We wandered into a vintage shop that had a lot of rocker T-shirts and leather. It was kind of dark, and there wasn’t really anything in there, until I looked up. On the ceiling, they had hung this little vintage dress. It appears in the season finale for Katerina, and it is spectacular. It was made for her body. It has everything I love: a big sleeve, a big cuff, a big collar, it’s got glitter, and it’s a mini. I was so glad there was a scene where we could place it. It didn’t even have a label in it.
