Just in time for the weekend premier of the “Sex and the City” movie, local lingerie lovers gathered to celebrate femininity and beauty as showcased in a new “Sex and the City” line featured at Baubo’s Garden on Madison Street. Fans of the popular HBO series were treated to a girls’ night out in the posh style that is the trademark of the show’s characters. Cocktails, girlfriends, gossip and slinky fashions were mainstays for a great episode of “Sex and the City,” and proved entertaining in their own right.
“The Samantha panties, with the sheer back, those are really cute,” Cristen Spencer, 32, of Westmont, said.
Spencer was one of several “Sex and the City” fans drawn to Forest Park Thursday for a chance to see the lingerie line and win tickets for a screening of the new film. Part of a national campaign for the high-end Italian lingerie company, Cosabella signed a lease on the “Sex and the City” name with HBO to create the line, which is based on each of the show’s characters. The lingerie follows a character’s personality; chic for Carrie Bradshaw, seductive for Samantha Jones, confident after Miranda Hobbs and conservatively feminine for Charlotte York.
As Spencer’s eyes wandered across the room toward another of the models, she found something more her speed in the Miranda Hobbs designs.
“But what she has on … that’s actually probably something more of what I would wear.”
With episodes of “Sex and the City” playing behind the counter, guests meandered in the boutique that celebrates the sacred feminine. The store was named for the mythical Greek belly goddess, Baubo, who symbolizes female sexuality and humor. Baubo appears in Greek mythology as Demeter mourns the recent loss of her daughter, Persephone.
“She’s a goddess and a gardener, so I was like, perfect,” Eden DeGenova, the owner of Baubo’s Garden and a gardener herself, said. “That’s what I wanted this store to feel like, to make women come into their own power and feel good about themselves, celebrating where they are at any point in their life.”
While the ladies – and a handful of gentlemen – mingled amongst the soft fabrics, two models waltzed around in each of the collection’s designs. Jennifer Briscoe, an account executive for Cosabella, said that a few of the pieces were worn by their respective characters in the new movie.
Many of the ladies in attendance had their favorite characters from the show, but for those who weren’t sure if they were more of a Charlotte or a Carrie, DeGenova, an Oak Park resident, created a questionnaire that helped connect guests to the characters.
The bamboo collection, designed for the Charlotte York character, takes stylistic cues from York’s traditional and feminine personality. The lingerie is made with 75 percent bamboo.
“It fits Charlotte, like the tag says, endearing and a true romantic, with a refreshing, optimistic outlook,” Briscoe said.
Although she had only recently watched the show, DeGenova was quick to pick her favorite character, Samantha Jones. In the HBO series Jones was well known for being a sexual maven. She provided the inspiration for the pearl collection. The Samantha collection is racy with a French Chantilly style lace. As Jones’ character is bold, so too is the color of the collection, a punchy passion fruit.
The Miranda Hobbs line, a rosangel collection, is available in a hot pant, thong, soft and molded bras and a nightgown.
“Colorful, practical, bold is what Miranda is described as,” Briscoe said of the purple and blue pieces.
DeGenova’s favorite garment, however, comes from the line designed for the new movie’s star, Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. A black bustier covered in bright red and blue flowers with an animal print trim to contrast, caught her eye.
Valencia Montgomery, of Oak Park, has shopped the Forest Park boutique before and said she thoroughly enjoyed the store’s attempt to tie its merchandise to the flirtatious movie. Several women said they found their own sexy favorites.
“Everything is very feminine and very pretty,” Montgomery, 41, said. “It’s soft; it’s sexy, with nice fabrics and a nice combination of colors.”
DeGenova said she hopes to host similar parties based around other lingerie lines. Cosabella plans to release another “Sex and the City” collection in the fall for all four of the characters, according to Briscoe.
“I thought it went very well,” DeGenova said afterward. “My goal is to bring women together … get them to talk about sex and femininity and I love to see that.”
