As And Just Like That’s Lisa Todd Wexley, Nicole Ari Parker brings her fashion A-game to our screens. She’s one of the Max series’s best-dressed characters, after all, so it’s only natural that she channeled Lisa’s immaculate—and glamorous—wardrobe for the season two premiere in New York last night. Wearing custom Valentino, the actor joined the rest of the cast and crew at the Crosby Hotel to fête the brand new episodes. “Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon deserved to be celebrated for creating this legacy for 25 years,” says Parker. “We all got dressed up; Everybody that worked on the show was there. It was very small and wonderful.”
For the intimate affair, Parker landed on Valentino’s chic “school girl” look, styled by Ade Samuel and designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli. It consisted of a wide, coral faille skirt with a long train, paired with a pink chiffon buttoned-up top and tie. Turns out, the school uniform inspiration was a deeply personal tie-in to Parker. “I went to a private school from second grade to 12th grade, so I wore a uniform pretty much my entire childhood,” says Parker. “Even though I love amazing clothing and avant-garde pieces, there’s something in me that’s still kind of buttoned-up and preppy. He made this gorgeous, rockstar-prep school gown.” When she put it on, the design instantly felt her. “I felt like my best self,” she says. “The coral color was perfect for early summer.” Makeup artist Vincent Oquendo and hairstylist Nai’vasha did a soft, elegant glam to go with it.
The Valentino ensemble was also a clever nod to one of the outfits that Lisa wears in the first episode of the new season. The character also sports a custom red Valentino chiffon gown to attend the “Met Ball” in New York. “It was 15 feet of silk chiffon—like, come on,” says Parker. “A dream come true! Philip Treacy’s [feathered] head piece was also spectacular.” In the episode, Lisa’s transportation to the Met doesn’t arrive, and she’s forced to walk to the Met in the elaborate creation; Parker remembers filming the scene—in which she dramatically crosses Park Avenue, her train flowing behind her—fondly. “The whole city cooperated at that moment,” laughs Parker. “You can’t stop traffic on Park Avenue, so the light changed, we had a break, and two yellow cabs magically stopped. It was a quintessential New York moment. And there were no wind machines! [Real] wind blew that gorgeous gown in the air!”
Given And Just Like That is all about delivering such wow-inducing fashion moments, Parker adds that it’s been a total “dream” to collaborate with the show’s main costume designers, Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago. “They nailed it with [Lisa] and everyone,” says Parker. “They really didn’t hold back—from my jewelry to my shoes, everything was just next level. I mean, she picks up her kid in a purple Issey Miyake coat and a leather beret.” As for what we can expect from her character this season? She gives us a quick teaser. “The writer’s room really found this balance to give you a peek into each of these new characters’ lives,” says Parker. “You’re going to see what the Wexleys really go through as a Black New York family this season.” Hopefully there’s more scenes with her equally stylish mother-in-law, Eunice.
Below, see how Parker got ready for premiere at the Mark Hotel in New York.
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