What does the real-life Carrie Bradshaw, Candace Bushnell, wear for a night on the town? Nicole Miller, of course.
According to the “Sex and the City” author, “Nicole really nailed the dress for women because that was the life she led: she was always out in New York.”
Miller was out again Wednesday celebrating her 45th business anniversary and her spring 2027 collection in one go. Joined by Nicky Hilton, stylist Erin Walsh and a gaggle of Real Housewives, Bushnell was out too showing her support.
Like she said, Miller’s name has become synonymous with “the” dress and New York, and both got top billing at the cocktail presentation inside Hotel Chelsea’s swanky Piano Room.
Whether lined up at the bar or splayed over tiger-upholstered chairs, just about every look was a dress. Long, short, spaghetti-strap, mockneck — one had topsy-turvy yellow taxicabs, while another literally shouted “New York” with embroidered patches forming a map of the five boroughs.
Tucked into a corner away from the crowd of well-wishers, Miller described the event as her love letter to the city where it all started back in 1982, adding that she wanted to reimagine the most iconic elements from her archives for today.
“There were a lot of years I tried to be more serious or expensive or whatever, but in the end, I just really liked the sense of humor in a lot of my clothes, so I brought back those ideas,” Miller said.
For example, the “baseball” mini, originally worn by Christy Turlington on her spring 1992 runway, was brought back as a sequin gown. Elsewhere, a dress printed with junk food, wine and spirits was made entirely of vintage men’s ties, a fluke when Miller debuted them in the late ‘80s.
“It’s interesting because they were very popular up until men stopped wearing ties, but people are paying attention to those again,” she said. “They’re like, ‘Oh, I loved all those ties. Bring them back. I loved all your crazy prints. Bring them back,’ so maybe it’s time for that now: for people to have fun.”
With the trend cycle moving further away from stealth wealth, Miller seems ready to reclaim the moment. Asked what her thoughts are on minimalism, she responded: “Well, it’s not my thing… I don’t like beige. I’ll never wear beige.”
That would certainly explain her kinship with Sander Lak, an equally eccentric colorist who commended Miller for her longevity in the industry and for remaining faithful to her customers.
Miller has remained faithful to Lak as well. She was a customer of Sies Marjan before it shuttered and continues to buy from Lak’s new eponymous brand, “which is always a nice compliment coming from a fellow designer,” he said.
