I’ve always said that Marc Jacobs is the best DJ of fashion.
He has his magical way of referencing his contemporaries’s work, to digest it and to create something that feels very him even if his « codes » are kind of elusive to anyone who doesn’t follow his work or has a narrow vision of it.
I saw many things: Rei Kawakubo (CDG fall 2012), Martin Margiela (the flat collection from fall 1998), JWA (with the toys section of his fall 2023 Loewe and the Clay section of his Spring 2024), Nicolas Ghesquiere (the play on volumes of his Vuitton Spring 2023)…All of that mixed with classic archetypes of Marc Jacobs: the 60’s, the American Sportswear, the very crazy bourgeoise from Park Avenue.
I also wonder if the current craze about Truman Capote’s swans didn’t inspired him for the closing silhouettes.
I saw a fabulous peacoat that I would love to own! The knitwear was particularly successful too.
I think that despite the pared down set, the message was very clear.
This is probably his most successful collection since he started to show Off-Calendar.
Now that everything is said, having a voice like Marc Jacobs creating this collection and presenting it Off-Calendar, in a way isolating himself from the fashion conversation, raise the question of his relevance.
He is an important designer but his work doesn’t have a center stage. While well executed and quite clever, his work doesn’t have the tension needed to push fashion forward despite the ideas.
The brand is financially successful, people at LVMH are happy. But there’s a feeling of emptiness around the brand and the man.
Tom Ford was clever enough to bow because he understood that his voice didn’t have the same impact. I wonder if Marc does realize that.
I don’t want him to retire at all but I won’t pretend that his presence or absence of the fashion calendar has an impact on anyone (Except maybe Linda Fargo).