Who can forget the moment when Carrie Bradshaw, the famous character of the series "Sex and the City", appears on the streets of Manhattan in a newspaper print dress by Dior? This dress, worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in the third season of the series, has become one of the most legendary fashion looks on television. But despite its fame, it has a past filled with controversy.
From the catwalk to the protest
This dress is part of John Galliano's "Fly Girl" collection for Christian Dior for the fall-winter 2000 season. Previously, Galliano had presented another collection – "Hobo" – inspired by the homeless people he had seen during his morning jog and by a trend of the 1920s where the elite dressed like homeless people for luxurious evenings. On the catwalk, models wore outfits resembling newspaper, combined with "trash accessories".
This "hobo-chic" style was well received by fashion critics, but sparked protests from social protection organizations and homeless communities in Paris. Galliano apologized ten days later, saying: "I never intended to make a spectacle of misery."
Transformation into a pop icon
Despite the criticism, Galliano brought back the newspaper print for his next collection, this time with a fictional newspaper called "Christian Dior Daily." It was this version that made television history when it was worn by Carrie in an episode airing in October 2000.
Paired with Manolo Blahnik shoes, a Fendi bag, and the famous “Carrie” pendant, the dress represented the sophisticated yet messy femininity of an urban woman. Despite its controversial origins, Bradshaw turned the dress into a symbol of a modern heroine – complicated, emotional, but real.
A legacy that continues today
Sarah Jessica Parker wore the dress again in the film "Sex and the City 2" in 2010. And on May 13, 2025, actress Jenna Ortega brought the dress back to the red carpet of the premiere of the film "Hurry Up Tomorrow" in New York - bringing a modern homage to the old icon.
The dress has already entered fashion history as a “holy object” for collectors. In December 2024, two original versions were sold at auction for figures many times higher than expected: one in London for $69,000 and the other in New York for $54,000.
Newspapers as fashion inspiration
Galliano later used the same print for his Galliano Gazette brand, and the newspaper inspiration hasn't stopped. Balenciaga, for example, launched a newspaper-themed collection in 2018 as a reaction to the term "fake news." Brands like Zara, Shein, and Réalisation Par have also offered similar versions to the general public, proving the strong comeback of the 2000s style.
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Source: CNN
