Patricia Field

Patricia Field
Name	Patricia Field
Birth date	1942-08-13
Birth place	Brooklyn, New York City, New York (state)
Nationality	American
Occupation	Fashion designer; costume designer; boutique owner
Years active	1966–present
Notable works	Sex and the City, The Devil Wears Prada, Kinky Boots

Patricia Field is an American fashion and costume designer, stylist, and pioneering boutique owner whose work helped redefine street-level fashion and on-screen costume as a form of cultural storytelling. Field's aesthetic blends vintage, thrift, and avant-garde sensibilities across decades of work in New York City nightlife, independent film, and mainstream television and cinema. She is best known for shaping the wardrobes of characters in Sex and the City and influencing the careers of designers and performers throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Early life and education

Field was born in Brooklyn and raised in Jackson Heights, Queens, neighborhoods of New York City with diverse immigrant communities. She came of age during the postwar era and the rise of countercultural movements like the Beat Generation and the 1960s counterculture, which influenced her appreciation for self-expression and alternative style. Field's early exposure to the garment trades of Garment District, Manhattan and to artists in Greenwich Village informed her approach to sourcing and repurposing clothing. She did not follow a traditional academic path in fashion design; instead, Field apprenticed and learned through hands-on experience in vintage shops, costume rentals, and the burgeoning New York nightlife scenes of the 1960s and 1970s.

Career

Field opened her namesake boutique, Patricia Field, in the East Village, Manhattan in 1966, establishing a retail presence that became a hub for bohemian and queer communities, performers, and designers. The shop moved locations over the years, including a prominent stint on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, connecting with patrons from scenes tied to Stonewall riots' aftermath and the broader LGBT cultural milieu. Her boutique served as a resource for independent filmmakers, theater companies such as those in Off-Broadway circuits, and musicians from CBGB–era punk bands.

Transitioning into costume work, Field collaborated with directors and producers in both independent and studio contexts. Her breakthrough in mainstream visibility came with television work on Sex and the City, where she curated looks that merged high fashion labels with vintage and streetwear, working alongside actors, writers, and producers in the HBO ecosystem. Field's film credits include collaborations with filmmakers on projects like The Devil Wears Prada and Kinky Boots, where her role encompassed sourcing garments, advising on character development through clothing, and coordinating with costume departments and production designers. She also consulted for fashion houses and retail ventures, influencing merchandising and visual identity across brands based in New York City and international markets.

Major works and style

Field's major body of work includes the costume design and styling for the television series Sex and the City, the film adaptations and related media, and numerous editorial and runway projects. Her style is characterized by eclectic layering, bold color mixes, and the juxtaposition of luxury labels with secondhand finds from sources like flea markets in Brooklyn and vintage warehouses in Manhattan. Field championed mixing designers such as Versace, Chanel, Dior, and Jean-Paul Gaultier with streetwear and handcrafted pieces, thereby democratizing access to fashion narratives and altering the visual language of characters on screen.

In television and film, Field emphasized costume as a storytelling device—using silhouette, texture, and accessory to signal character arcs, social mobility, and personal reinvention. Her work often foregrounded jewelry, footwear, and outerwear as extensions of performance, collaborating with shoe designers and milliners from circles that included participants in New York Fashion Week and international events like Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week.

Awards and recognition

Field's contributions have been recognized by industry peers, critics, and cultural institutions. She received accolades from costume and television guilds, and her influence has been noted in publications associated with Vogue (magazine), The New York Times, The Guardian, and fashion-focused awards. Her work on Sex and the City contributed to the series' multiple honors during awards seasons, including recognition by organizations such as the Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards for overall production and performance categories that cited costume as integral to the show's identity. Field has also been the subject of retrospectives and exhibitions at institutions that document fashion history in New York City.

Personal life

Field has been an outspoken figure within LGBT advocacy circles and the arts communities of New York City, maintaining connections with activists, performers, and designers. Her personal network spans generations of creatives involved in theater, film, and music scenes, including participants in Off-Off-Broadway theater and underground club culture. Though private about domestic details, Field's public persona reflects commitments to independent retail, community-based fashion initiatives, and mentorship of emerging stylists and designers.

Legacy and influence

Field's legacy is evident across contemporary fashion, costume design, and popular culture. By elevating vintage and thrifted garments within celebrity and television wardrobes, she altered perceptions about authenticity, sustainability, and personal style. Designers, costume designers, and stylists cite her influence in shaping approaches to character-driven dressing, and her boutique model inspired a generation of retail entrepreneurs in neighborhoods across New York City and major fashion capitals like London and Tokyo. Field's work contributed to the crossover between street style and high fashion that informs media representations in series and films produced by entities such as HBO, independent studios, and major production companies, leaving an imprint on how clothing mediates identity and narrative in visual culture.

Category:American costume designers Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Living people