For Sarah Jessica Parker, shooting the cover of ELLE was also an excuse to reunite with old friends. The mother of three arrived solo in jeans and a gray sweatshirt from her Bitten clothing line and quickly settled into breakfast with creative director Joe Zee. (His relationship with the actress goes way back to a time when a little TV show called Sex and the City was just beginning.) SJP ordered scrambled eggs and toast, no parsley; she abhors the garnish so much that it was written into an episode for her Carrie Bradshaw character.
Digging in, they discussed the day’s inspiration: Alexander Wang meets Chanel, black-and-white biker chic. Between outfit changes—a Dolce & Gabbana white strapless dress, a Hervé Léger black bandage bikini, and plenty of Chanel—Parker palled around with her go-to hairstylist, Serge Normant, who teased her hair into an early-’70s bouffant. At the end of the day, Parker got a surprise visit from Hugh Grant, her costar in the upcoming romantic comedy Did You Hear About the Morgans? Turns out, he was in the neighborhood and just wanted to say hi. Once you meet SJP, you love her forever.
