Sex and the City designer Patricia Field on the power of celebrity

You closed your New York store after so long, how does that feel?

“For me it’s not about bricks and mortar, it was an environment and you could find any crazy thing in there. It had so much texture and the clients gave it that too – my clients were part of that collage of culture. My store was definitely a lifestyle community, and that’s what I miss. But the responsibility was too much, and after so many years, I still found myself the captain; but the captain sometimes wants to go have dinner, and there’s no one to take over.”

What’s the direction for your online store patriciafield.com?

“It’s all about collaborations with artists and designers now. I found a positive reaction to anything that I offered that was unique. There have been 15 years of globalised fashion, and the result is that the stylists, the choices have become so narrow – when I was talking to my clients I was getting that reaction. In New York, like in many places, all the special individual stores are all gone, and I was the only place you could find something unusual. I was hearing that repeatedly. So we put more focus on that online, on those one-of-a-kind, painted or embellished pieces.”

Do you think it’s harder to find something unique in fashion today?

“Well yeah, because many brands just do the safe and the same and after a while it gets boring. Believe me, I’ll go into Zara and buy, but I can’t do a head-to-toe Zara look ... I think people are seeking something more individual. So this art-fashion idea I’m doing with seven artists, each with their own aesthetic, has been great. I came back to the store in an more active way about three years ago. One of the artists is Scooter La Forge, who I’ve been working with for five years. Last year I sold 500 pieces of his.”