And Just Like That, Costume Designer Talks Belt and Reacts – WWD

While fans and foes of “And Just Like That” continue to give praise or criticism, costume designers Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago have turned their attention to a new collection of collaborative belts. Accessories, however, could be armor or jewelry, and both were adept at maximizing their use.

First friends socially and then connected professionally, the two shared an easy relationship in recent interviews discussing their new venture, how they avoided social media backlash, why “Sex and the City” is making people so angry and the accusations against Chris Noth.

Working with Los Angeles-based belt company Streets Ahead, they debuted a dozen belts online today. “The use of our belts is something we are very dedicated to, if not obsessed with. During installation, we have a full rack of belts by color. It’s just a choice for so many female characters,” Rogers said. “It sort of puts it all together like having a bow on a Christmas pack. And everyone wants a waist.”

Roger’s belt, the black grommet style Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the 2008 film “Sex and the City” garnered a lot of consumer attention and “helped send the message that it was a belt nut,” Rogers said. (Parker wore it again in the reboot of the HBO Max series.) “It works so well with so many different things and is something SJ fell in love with. It kind of has a punk rock edge,” Santiago said. “In the fitting for the film, we keep repeating it again and again. We have a saying for that. SJ would say, ‘Ignore that.’”

Fans seem to agree. They “went crazy about it and all these different companies managed to do it,” Santiago says. The new collaborative line, labeled “Out of Town, Up or Down,” will set consumers back between $69 and $395. It’s also currently wholesale.

Agreeing their “And Just Like That” assignment could be seen as distasteful given people’s passion about the show and the characters, Rogers said with a laugh, “It’s almost like ‘How dare you?’…if we let the show’s origins and fandom be fanatics attack us, we will be paralyzed.”

One protection comes from the pretty bubbles they make on set. Instead of the standard “little cupboard with upright mirror”, they created a fitting room gem with a Hollywood-style makeup mirror that “provides an environment of being free, non-judgmental and uncensored,” says Rogers. “And we don’t pay attention to what’s happening on social media. As much as possible, we kept a close eye, because it was brutal.”

He added that Instagram’s “And Like That” costume account was constantly having posts from people with scathing reviews about scripts or characters they didn’t like. “It’s very negative. Thank goodness we have these beautiful belts to keep us sane.”

After scouring the stores for belts for reboots, they often mine them from vintage stores, which have the greatest variety and interesting styles. As Streets Ahead approached them, Santiago said they were a game in part because the belts held the look together. “I kind of see a belt as a waistband,” Rogers offered.

The fact that Streets Ahead is a family business and Made in USA operation is a double win, they say. The costume designers aim to do more collaborations, including non-clothing ones. Homes are a possibility, as evidenced by the tufted pillows they decorated with embroidery applications for Parker’s apartment in “And Just Like That.” “We love home stuff. This is a natural bookend or pair with costume [design], said Rogers.

Regarding recent reports that actress Cynthia Nixon can be demanding or specific about what she wants when it comes to fashion, Rogers said, “A lot of really experienced actors and actresses have been in this business for so long that they have abbreviations…to say ‘Oh, that’s not going to work,’ because you already know enough. For us, everyone is so happy to be back like the best high school reunions. Everyone is just ready to do it.”

Recently, the cast and crew faced a more serious problem. Last month, Chris Noth, who plays “Mr. Great,” accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment by four women. After the first two women made their accusations, the actor issued a statement describing the allegations as “grossly false.” Variety reported this week Noth has been cut from the upcoming “And Just Like That” finale.

Santiago declined to comment on the allegations. Rogers said, “The only thing I feel comfortable saying without getting bored is [that] I’m really sad to hear such news. I am very sad about that.”

As for whether accusations were ever a problem on set, Rogers said never and Santiago said no.

Rogers continued, “Just like Willie [Garson, who played Stanford Blatch] forward, that’s a lot to deal with and process. That’s also a loss. We just had a massive match with Willie. We’ve done every outfit she needs for 10 episodes. He’s literally in a can with all his clothes on. It really hurts.”

Shifting back to fashion, costume designers talk about what makes consumers shop. For Rogers, that means buying green, antique, and recycled things. “People are really happy with their purchases.”

And buying small and local, as in supporting local businesses and Made in USA brands, is important, Santiago says. “A small business like Streets Ahead is a mom-and-pop business. The whole family is involved. This is the kind of business that people want to support right now.”