Marc Jacobs to produce third, cheaper line? IHT

[wrngco]

I cannot wait either because he is knocked off all of the time and has a right to do this

 

[chloehandbags]

In the end - what is the difference? Watered down MJ at Topshop or Watered down MJ from MJ himself? Because he sure won't spend as much time on a thricely reduced label than on his mainline.

Like anything, I think it depends on the bottom line - if he is making more money on his lower lines (due to the volume sold), than he is on his R-T-W line, he may spend as much time on them.

 

[chloehandbags]

Made he was wearing a Y-3 sweatshirt, jogging on the motorway and holding a gun in his hand when he suddenly found a name. "M3!"

 

[albertli1984]

I just want to know, when does Marc3's first collection ?

 

[CoCo*]

It sounds promising. I dont really love love love Marc Jacobs, but the M3 line does sound intresting. I cant see myself breaking my neck trying to buy the brand though, I hate to have something that everyone has...especially if its really admissive.

We'll see. Time will tell... or something.

 

[Dkammern]

I think he is overdoing this. Too much watering down can lead to a decline in the brand image. He doesn't want to be the Next ralph lauren or Tommy hilfiger.

Although it certainly looks like it, he better not want something like that to happen! Ralph and Tommy are brands that built a finantial-"empire" doing basics, kids-stuff, average clthes, outlets... (which seconds what luxx and ilauhead have mentioned before)
he can't just send down the runway 50 girls on wicked shoes and concordes in their heads, and pretend to grow and reach everyone in the big market!
The big american companies (or armani in italy) have all a cohesive brand image, and there's always similarities between the different lines.
You can certainly dilute your prices a bit in second and third lines, but if you also start to water down your ideas and aesthetic, you may end up with the kind of snob arguments alejandro mentioned (which doesnt benefit either lines)
You may wanna be the next Ralph Lauren, but you have to know that has some very serious costs in terms of creativity/brand image...
and when the interests in profit are so much more important than these costs, maybe you should consider calling yourself a designer.



on a side note: i would NOT like to see a Givenchy second line... thinking of it just makes me ... in general, i wouldnt like to see second lines of any french house (Maybe just capsule collections like 24 chez Saint Laurent, which i think is a totally different concept)

 

[aldn]

I think Stinky Rat and those pleather bags were surely the first experiment with a lower priced line. Personally, though, I think that stuff is just so dull. Its like why bother? Its like he is trying to branch out and go cheaper, but he doesn't want to give it up and go all out like michael michael kors and sell to Macy's, so hes torn and it just will not work.

by keeping it only in his stores is a great idea. he is able to control the distribution* and price.

 

[cinechrome]

A Marc3 line doesn't sound very promising. I think he should concentrate more on the Marc by Marc Jacobs line. The quality and price-point in my opinion don't match up 80% of the time. It's way overpriced for what you get. And to do an even cheaper line that'll probably be on the level of H&M doesn't seem appealing. But, I do like the cheap little goodies he sells at the Marc stores. I think that works well as a gimmick to attract customers while not cheapening the brand, since it's all trend accessories.

 

[Becca Rich]

I'm torn on this subject. I love m by mj . But I don't know if the third line will be as appealing or successful. Sounds really daring and risky. The third line would be just a cash cow, nothing inspiring I assume. I've been to his Bleecker St. store and bought a billion t shirts and little baubles and I love them and wear them all the time.. And I do enjoy Stinky Rat.. But I don't know it a third line would be over-doing it?

 

[shopdiary]

According to Robert Duffy, the third tier line "is happening right now". They just aren't in separate stores.

From Fortune Magazine, September 11, 2007:

An example of Duffy's don't-bother-asking-so-they-don't-get-a-chance- to-say-no approach is the way that he and Jacobs are toying with producing a third, even lower-priced line to compete with the Gaps and H&M's of the world. Jacobs and Duffy are excited by the idea, but LVMH isn't interested because it's a luxury-goods company. When asked about a third line, Stalla-Bourdillon is dismissive: "Maybe it's better not to think about that subject."

But Duffy hasn't been waiting around for LVMH. "It's happening right now," he says. "It's 70% of the units we sell in our stores." It turns out he's referring to the $20 million line of specialty items - those $20 T-shirts and the other "junk" he can barely keep in his stores. "It's the same thing that happened with our home-ware line," says Duffy, "They said no, so I went to the Czech Republic and had them make crystal and china and just put them in the store."

Eventually, he says, LVMH will hear about the third line enough times that it will want to explore creating a new set of stores. "Then I'll say, 'All right, explore it.' And then I'll show them that it's already here."

 

[mikka000]

I've seen only some Marc By Marc Jaobs and the quality was shocking.
one shirt looked like it was already third line but with a scond line price tag.
He doen'nt even design the Marc Jacobs main line for men, I doubt he cares what comes out of the diffusion lines either. He comes across as a 'nice' guy but really I think he's just greedy.

 

[Tinsley V]

just stick to what he knows best. i get tired of designers doing cheaper and cheaper lines because then it seems that just about anybody wears it

 

[Gwen]

I'm not a very big fan of Marc Jacobs but I think him going even cheaper than his Marc by MJ is a bad decision. It makes me think he's just trying to make as much money as possible because he's the trendy name right now and I don't like designers who do that at all.

 

[jun3machina]

mj for target, baby!

 

[ChrissyM]

well i think that getting your clothes on more people is the point..
the higher end, higher priced lines will still be more exclusive..

ralph lauren hasn't suffered for catering to the masses and he's still well respected within the fashion industry (and lauded for getting his clothes onto so many people)..

i think what marc is trying to do is probably become more like a dkny, ck, ralph lauren/polo etc..

time will tell..

 

[Meg]

I don't know if this is true or not, just my thoughts but his cheaper line is (as someone else above noted) already in stores. It's the cheesy fun tshirts and cheap stuff. I kind of view that as a pet project for Marc. Fun cheesy things that would never make it into his mainline or m by mj but little ironic tshirts and cutesy things that he thinks are funny. I don't think he intends it to be highly fashionable.

 

[MJCouture]

^Ralph is really the exception, though, not the norm. Most people who have signed their names to as many diffusions as he has have ended up in a horrible spot in the fashion community. Donna Karan's mainline has none of the cache it would if she wasn't selling her diffusion (which many consumers don't even know is different) in every average department store. CK basically destroyed his name with all of the logo tee shirts, jeans, etc. That is not to say that I think Marc really can be compared to these designers. I just do not know really who is going to buy Marc by Marc anymore? The quality is bad as it is, so if the designs are similar (and how could they not be? thats his mass-producable look, if it is going to be 'him' at all it will be vaguely familiar to Marc by Marc) there is no reason to pay the price premium. I am really curious to see some early shots of the stuff, because at this point I can not really even imagine it.

 

[ChrissyM]

i haven't been into an actual marc jacobs store in a while..
probably in over a year..
so i haven't seen the cheaper stuff he's selling..

is it being called a third line just because the price points are so much lower?
is there something else sewn in as a label or does it have the marc jacobs label..

i think i just might be really confused about what his intentions are with this..
mjcouture i think you make a good point about donna karan and calvin klein..
the main brands have definitely imo lost a bit of their prestige/glamour/luxury factor because of that association with mass produced logo t-shirts etc..

so, i guess i just really don't know what to think of this..
if it's just selling some cheaper items in his own stores then i don't really see a problem with it..
when he gets into selling the much cheaper items in bulk to department stores.. then that's a different ball game altogether..
but maybe he doesn't even want to go there??

 

[buttonsandstars]

I'm not sure what to think of this, to be honest.
On one hand, I'm thinking: Brilliant! I'll be able to buy some of his beautiful designs without spending hundreds and hundreds of pounds on it, but at the same time, I can't help but wonder if he'll start designing for the masses... I mean, a plain tank top is all good (although I don't really wear them) but what's the difference between that and one from topshop, say? I want the same effort put into designing the line as his others; something that will probably not happen.
Who knows though! We may be surprised and he will produce some beautiful pieces. I'm going to be on the lookout!

 

[Ianastar]

I've seen only some Marc By Marc Jaobs and the quality was shocking.
one shirt looked like it was already third line but with a scond line price tag.
He doen'nt even design the Marc Jacobs main line for men, I doubt he cares what comes out of the diffusion lines either. He comes across as a 'nice' guy but really I think he's just greedy.

I agree with you to some extent.

I think he is starting to over brand himself. He's putting too much out there.

Although, recently I have found more of his stuff that I actually like.


And the funny thing...I bought the plastic boots (wellies) mentioned in the first post. LOL!

Hey they were 20 bucks, fit, and keep me dry and warm in the rain/snow. I get compliments on them ALL the time too.