Marc Jacobs On Why He'd Rather Put Celebs In His Ads Than Models

[ignitioned32]

MARC JACOBS doesn't get the chav thing at all. "I don't really understand [it]," he told last night's Evening Standard. "I don’t find it distasteful for anyone to wear [Louis Vuitton]." Even Posh Spice, who some might call the queen of chavdom, is welcome to a bit of the LV treatment. "When we did the graffiti bags with Stephen Sprowse there was a cover of a British newspaper with Posh Spice wearing a counterfeit one. As soon as it was produced, we sent her a real one. It's not like I'm a big Posh Spice fan – and I know nothing about football, so I'm not even in love with David Beckham or anything. I'm not putting him down, either. But I hardly dreamed that my ultimate goal would be to have Posh Spice carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag. It was kind of funny." Jacobs, who already has "hideously long" waiting lists for the new LV denim line that is about to appear in London, has made a habit of filling the Vuitton ad campaigns with A-list Hollywood faces in recent seasons. "I think it's a cycle," he explains. "When you look at old photographs of Naomi, Linda, Cindy… those girls have amazing personalities, amazing presence. There aren't models like that any more. At the time, nobody was paying much attention to Hollywood stars. They were all dressed in Armani; they were serious, like Glenn Close. And now there are all these young actresses like Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Chloe Sevigny or Scarlett [Johansson], who love to dress up. You're being visually stimulated by celebrity, and models are just mannequins to put clothes on." And there is only one model today who makes the grade, apparently. "Kate Moss was the antithesis of those girls like Christy and Naomi," he said. "She was not as tall, and she had real spunk and absolutely fantastic beauty. I fell in love with her: I mean, she was larger than life to me no matter what her height was." So what of the Pete Doherty rumours? "Kate's having a good time and God bless her," he says. "If I were Kate I'd be doing exactly the same thing." (May 20 2005, AM)

I remember before I left tFS a lot of users were complaining about why celebrities were on the covers of US Vogue, ad campaigns, etc. Well, now Marc Jacobs answers back.

 

[TheSoCalledPrep]

sorry, but lots of models have presence.

 

[AlexN]

Every time I read something Marc Jacobs has said, I dislike him more and more.

 

[brian]

sorry, but lots of models have presence.

agreed. i don't buy marc's bs.

they only put celebs in the ad campaigns because the average consumer wants to be just like them, and buy whatever they see their favourite celebrities wearing/carrying...and they want to do what they're doing... they want to live a fantasy.

 

[brian]

Every time I read something Marc Jacobs has said, I dislike him more and more.

right on, sista!

 

[ignitioned32]

I personally would like models in the campaigns over celebrities. I can't stand the trendy casting of these starlets. In addition, only a few celebrities have real style. So aren't they mannequins too?

However, overall, if they'd really like someone with personality and presence I'd pick someone who has a look and who's artistic and talented whether from the music, literature or art industry. But hey its all about marketing right?

 

[Diorling]

I cant stand MJ, unlike other more talented designers he seems very flat and not very smart. It just doesn't fit, his "witty" clothes and his rather un-witty personality. He's trying to explain why he uses celebs, a smart designer would tell the truth (I know Lagerfeld would).

 

[brian]

He's trying to explain why he uses celebs, a smart designer would tell the truth (I know Lagerfeld would).

definitely ... and i'm sure it would be my explanation...

 

[*Happiness*]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but to say that models today have NO presence....that's just pushing the envelope in the opinion department!

 

[Hana_N]

I think he's right in a way, the models today have a different presence than the "supermodels" back then. I mean the models back then carried out tons of interviews and things like that, but I have for example never heard someone like Gemma Ward, Natalia Vodianova or someone like that.

I do like seeing models in campaigns, but it might not sell as a celebrity.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

definitely ... and i'm sure it would be my explanation...

D&G also prefer celebs don't they?

 

[travolta]

I cant stand MJ, unlike other more talented designers he seems very flat and not very smart. It just doesn't fit, his "witty" clothes and his rather un-witty personality. He's trying to explain why he uses celebs, a smart designer would tell the truth (I know Lagerfeld would).

yeah, but karl lagerfeld doesn't have the same mass appeal as marc jacobs..i'm not sure the general public would appreciate his 'candidness.'

 

[Scott]

He's an idiot. That's the most convoluted and hypocritical thing I've ever heard. Uhhh....excusé moi but don't you use these so-called girls "without presence" in your shows?? If you've got such a disdain why not replace them for celebs? He's another jaded,contradictory,elitist designer who let's his massive ego do the talking for him.

Besides,any puppet can have presence when you put them in a $1,000 dollar crap dress,my dear man.

 

[travolta]

i don't see what the big fuss is really. he basically summed up the situation in the simplistic terms didn't he? it was in the evening standard for god sakes..not womens wear daily.

 

[LolitaLuxe]

I think its the use of celebrity helps keep LV that tacky -must have label for those who cant figure anything else out- its just 'automatic'. and the funny thing is, the clothes/shoes are OK...i usually like a few items from the LV collection, and usually the celebs endorsing it dont really fit into the style ( of the clothes). people who own LV are a wide spectrum, which could be another reason as to why he may think a celeb is more fitting.

either way i dont like the celebs even though i forget all those he has used

 

[Amelia]

I like when celebs are in campaigns... but not always! Please, give a chance for models !

 

[kimair]

he'd rather use celebs but model kristen mcmenamy is starring in his f/w 05 ad campaign...

 

[liberty33r1b]

i don't see much presence in a lot of celebs he mentioned, scarlett foremost.....

 

[xEmma2k5x]

He's an idiot. That's the most convoluted and hypocritical thing I've ever heard. Uhhh....excusé moi but don't you use these so-called girls "without presence" in your shows?? If you've got such a disdain why not replace them for celebs? He's another jaded,contradictory,elitist designer who let's his massive ego do the talking for him.

Besides,any puppet can have presence when you put them in a $1,000 dollar crap dress,my dear man.

my thoughts exactly. It must be bad for all the models who he uses in his shows to hear he thinks they have no presence.

 

[Yes]

Every time I read something Marc Jacobs has said, I dislike him more and more.

Me,too. I hope MJ knows he's a real a**(not sure if i can say it on the boards)