American Icon: Sarah Jessica Parker
As we come to a close of the year and look forward to what the next year will bring, it’s important that we do not lose sight of the great dreams we have for ourselves and families. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams, and the possibility of those dreams coming to pass. At least it did for Sarah Jessica Parker, a modern day inspiration for young women from around the globe.
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American actor, designer, entrepreneur and producer. She is best known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO series Sex and The City. She won two Emmy awards for the show and has also won the Golden Globe Award four times for her role is different movies after that. Sarah has been an active figure in the film industry since 1978 and has starred in several successful movies such as The First Wives Club, L.A Story and the Heidi Chronicles amongst many others.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Sarah Jessica Parker was born in Nelsonville, Ohio. She is the daughter of Barbara Parker, an elementary school teacher and operator and Stephen Parker, a journalist and entrepreneur. She is one of eight children from her parents’ marriage and her mother’s second marriage. Following her parents divorce, her mother married an account executive and truck driver- Paul Forste. The latter had been a part of Parkers life from a young age. Parker’s father, a Brooklyn native is a Jewish from Eastern Europe. Parker’s mother on the other hand is of German and some English descent. Parker is a descendant of Esther Elwell, one of the accused during the Salem witches trial. She identifies with her father’s Jewish religion even though she has no religious training.
As a young girl, Parker trained in ballet and singing and was soon cast in the Broadway revival of William Archibald’s The Innocents at the age of 11. Her family moved to New York City so that she could get better and specialized training. There, her mother and step father helped her develop her career as a young actress.
FASHION INDUSTRY
Parker is a recognized icon in the fashion industry. In 2000, she hosted the MTV Movie Awards appearing in fourteen different outfits during the show. She has also become the face of many of the world's biggest fashion brands through her work in a variety of advertising campaigns. In August 2003, Parker signed a lucrative deal with Garnier to appear in TV and print advertising promoting their Nutrisse hair products. In 2004, shortly after the Sex and the City series wrapped up, Parker signed a $38 million contract with Gap, a popular fashion industry. It was the first multi-season contract in the clothing company's history, in which Parker was to appear in their upcoming fall ads, and continue until the spring of 2005. Even though this endorsement was followed by a lot of criticism, Parker gave Gap a new fresh face in many commercials, print and online ads as well as other promotions.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Parker’s fame during the Sex and the City television series put her in the spotlight. She used this acquired celebrity status to pursue her entrepreneurship dream. In 2005, she launched her first perfume ‘Lovely’. This was closely followed by a launch of her first clothing line Bitten in 2007. The line featured accessories and clothing items under $20. It officially launched at Steve Barry’s and has become a success since.
Following the success of Lovely, Parker releases a second fragrance Covet. The perfume was well received and was later followed by Covet Pure Bloom, a continuation of the Covet series. In 2009 as part of the lovely collection, Parker launched three new fragrances- Dawn, Twilight and Endless.
In 2014, Parker set up the SJP collection, a footwear line in Nordstrom which she promoted on her social media pages. Her entrepreneurial progress has seen her become one of the most successful actresses in the country. Her love for entrepreneurship and her talent as an actor has seen her soar to greater heights over the years.
Sarah Jessica Parker is an ordinary American who chose to chase after her dreams, wherever they would lead. We have witnessed her talent as an actor in our screens and her hard work as an entrepreneur, a mother and a wife. Parker is a great example of how far women can get when they believe in the beauty of their dreams. She did not sit back and wait for it to happen, rather, she went out and made it happen. Her realities today are a result of the effort and the sacrifices she has made in the past, and that she still continues to make. As American Sunglass we are proud of such hardworking, visionary women and we recognize her as an ICON!
Go here to see some aviators like Sarah is sporting in the top picture!