Sexism still rife in fashion industry, says Sarah Jessica Parker

Los Angeles: Actress and fashionista, Sarah Jessica Parker, says she had to face sexism during her stint at a design house because of which she is apprehensive about taking on further jobs in the fashion industry.

The former `Sex and the City` star was hired as the Chief Creative Officer of a label, which she did not name, in January 2010. She quietly parted ways with the firm in July 2011, reported Aceshowbiz. It now appears she probably did so because she was sidelined by more powerful male executives who were only interested in using her fame to front the brand. "I was brought in to help run a fashion company for about a year (although I don`t want to name names). I was shocked to experience an old-fashioned attitude about women and business: women had titles but were treated as figure heads. "So it wasn`t one negotiation, but an ongoing negotiation to make it clear that my voice was just as important, and that if they wanted me to be an active participant, it had to be an open conversation," Parker said. She admitted that she struggled in silence, apart from seeking some advice from her representatives. "I called my lawyer and agent on occasion. But I`m not a little girl; I can`t call Mummy and Daddy all the time. If I take on a responsibility, I want to handle it with the authority given to me," she said. PTI