Sarah Jessica Parker covers Harper’s Bazaar, talks fashion, family

Sarah Jessica Parker couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to collaborate with footwear designer Manolo Blahnik, and Carrie Bradshaw would be shaking in her sky-high boots right about now. (Cue Bradshaw yelp of excitement!)

The “Sex and the City� star, now 48, graces the cover of Harper’s Bazaar September issue, the biggest issue the fashion glossy has after had. She wears a glitter gold Marc Jacobs gown on the cover, and is photographed by Terry Richardson in Chanel, Gucci and Oscar de la Renta inside the codex.

Parker catapulted to fashion icon status thanks to the HBO comedy that saw her decked out in high-end selections and bold choices from costume designer Patricia Field. But the well-heeled star maintained her quirky glam image off-camera too.

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In her feature piece, fashion critic Cathy Horyn gushed about the “unfailingly gracious� Parker, a native of Nelsonville, Ohio.

“She has a fan base in the fashion world that’s extraordinary, and it’s truly because she’s such a nice person,� said Manolo Blahnik president, George Malkemus. The pair recently teamed up to create SJP, a collaborative shoe line for Nordstrom that will launch in February. “Were it anyone but Sarah Jessica, I wouldn’t have done it.�

Parker previously collaborated on a cutesy fashion line called Bitten and later worked with mega-designer Halston, but both partnerships fizzled out and, contrary to popular belief, she said she did not get paid in either case.

“We’ve all worked with complicated people, and I always think that I can disarm them. I love collaborating. I’m a great listener and learner, and I don’t think I know more than they do. I’m transparent,� she said. “I really did work for free ... some cultures can’t be undone.�

E tu, SJP? That sounds like a typical fashion industry story if we’ve ever heard one.

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The mother of three and wife of actor Matthew Broderick is still maintaining her fashionista persona as she gets older, but it turns out it comes over a bit more effortless than many thought.

“I don’t think I’ve ever spent 10 minutes calculating my image,� Parker said. “I can’t even recall a conversation.�

Gee, we know a Philip Treacy mowhawk headpiece that begs to differ...

Parker also addressed rumors that Broderick cheated on her -- rumors that “quietly vanished.�

“Yeah, I didn’t comment on it,� Parker said, adding, “People have asked me about my marriage, ‘How do you make it work, and I say, ‘We don’t talk about it.’ That’s not really true. It’s sort of a nasty response.�

“Matthew and I come from a different time and place. When we were young people, all we ever wanted was to be good working actors. We didn’t think of fame or money because, honestly, money was never part of the dream. It was to work in theater, to be around those people whose work I was in total awe of. I never saw the trappings; nobody talked about being a celebrity. So when our marriage came up in conversation, it wouldn’t occur to us that we were obligated to respond to allegations or gossip. You have to be a bit circumspect, but you also have to take up a position, and you have to stick to it.

“There’s also the reality of your life,� she added. “I love Matthew Broderick. Call me crazy, but I love him. We can only be in the marriage we are. We’re very devoted to our family and our lives. I love our life. I love that he’s the father of my children, and it’s because of him that there’s this whole other world that I love.�

So what’s next for Parker? She’s set to appear in an off-Broadway production of “The Commons of Pensacola� with Blythe Danner next month, she’s developing a gritty series for HBO called “Into the Fire,� producing a documentary for AOL about the New York City Ballet and working to raise money for Democratic causes, according to the mag.

That’s in addition to her collaboration made in “Sex and the City� heaven.

The September issue hits newsstands Aug. 20 and iPads on Aug. 15.

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