Couture's Chameleon- A Closer Look at Marc Jacobs




Marc Jacobs metallic purple bow neck top and Quilted Single bag.

“Fashion is Fickle”… it’s a phrase that’s been uttered for decades, and probably one of the truest statements ever spoken.  Trends come and go season after season, and what’s hot today is not tomorrow.  That picture of you wearing what you thought was the hottest thing to hit the runway five years ago is probably the same picture you feverishly try to hide.  If there was ever a designer to understand this intrinsic quality of fashion, and use it to his complete advantage, it would have to be Marc Jacobs.  The way he has transformed not only himself, but his artistic vision season after season, to always stay one step ahead of the latest trend report, is remarkable. He truly is the fashion industry's resident chameleon.  Whether it is a red carpet occasion, or a weekend at Coachella, you can find a Marc Jacobs design suitable for any occasion.  While Apple may have cornered the “There’s an app for that,” market in technology, in the fashion industry you need look no further than Marc Jacobs to say “There’s a garment for that.”   



Marc Jacobs portrait from Elle Magazine

When being interviewed by Calvin Klein for Harpers Bazaar in 2010 Marc Jacobs said, “…I guess when I look over my shoulder at other designers, I feel like people are so definitive. It’s so clear to me what their aesthetic is, what they’re projecting. And I look at my own work and I think, 'Who could ever decipher what the hell is going on?'”  It is this constantly shifting aesthetic that allows for collections that evolve season after season, reinventing trends, silhouettes, and the face of fashion as we know it. His own ever changing vision is what contributes to  the relevancy of  his own line (which he has sustained since 1986), as well as being able to effortlessly switch gears and provide creative direction for the polar opposite French house, Louis Vuitton, and his diffusion line, Marc by Marc Jacobs.  Hi fashion barometer is always one step ahead of the game.



Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis 1992
That's not flannel... it's silk!

While he may ooze early 90’s grunge one season and whimsy of the 70’s the next there is, believe it or not, a method to the madness.  No matter what decade Jacobs draws his inspiration from he seamlessly combines it with the futuristic insight of a true visionary. He turns the high to low, and then sells it at a high price.  In fact, he is at the helm of two of the world’s most expensive luxury brands, and for good reason.  It is more difficult than you think to make something appear deconstructed, yet maintain the structural integrity and craftsmanship of a true luxury brand. It also takes incredible genius to transform $300-a-yard fabrics into something so “everyday,” i.e. Jacob’s controversial (but his personal favorite) “Grunge” line for Perry Ellis (where he got his start fresh out of Parson’s School of Design in NY) in 1992.  I promise you making silk look like flannel is no easy (or cheap) feat.

Sofia Coppola photographed by Juergen Teller

for Marc Jacobs

Kim Gordon photographed by Juergen Teller
for Marc Jacobs

Victoria Beckham photographed by Juergen Teller
for Marc Jacobs

It is the muses photographed by Juergen Teller over the past 11 years have set the tone for the quintessential Marc Jacobs “look” among the changing tides of the brand’s collections. A look Marc Jacobs has referred to as a girl (girl being the operative word) who is “not a wallflower, exactly, but close to it. Or she’d like people to think she is, in her $4,000 dress and artfully mussed hair… She’s the awkward little sister.” The ground breaking ads featuring Sofia Coppola, Kim Gordon (of Sonic Youth fame,) and Victoria Beckham (though I doubt any of us can picture Posh as an “awkward little sister” she plays the role in the ads quite nicely) have become eternally associated with the brand.  These blown out, over exposed, and down-right gritty images were nothing like the ultra glossy, ultra luxe, and ultra sexy campaigns being run by his peers such as Gucci and Dior at the time.  These images were raw, and quite frankly a little awkward. It was the magical collaboration of Marc’s fashion captured by the lens of Juergen Teller that brought us these new wave campaigns  and reminded us that models were merely props for the clothing, not the other way around, and that being a little creepy, could be really cool.



Dakota Fanning photographed by Juergen Teller
for Marc Jacobs

My personal favorites are the ones of Dakota Fanning, both when she was young and more recently in 2009 for the launch of Jacob’s perfume Lola. The Jacobs/Teller collaboration was a match made in heaven. Teller’s photographic style provided consistency to the brand on the campaign front; resonating season after season in spite of Marc Jacob’s continually shifting inspirations. 

Dakota Fanning photographed by Juergen Teller
for Marc Jacobs "Oh Lola" fragrance

Marc's chameleon like approach reminds me a lot of myself.  I’ve always been a little envious of those girls who have a “signature” style. I’ve also been a little envious of those artists who have a unique singular vision. That one thing they are known for. When it comes to fashion and art, I’ve never been one of those girls. I may wake up one morning and want to dress like a bohemian princess and be inspired by vintage circus performers, and the next I’ll resemble Madonna circa “Like a Virgin” and be inspired by Navajo weaving.  I can’t help it; I’m artistically (and fashionably) fickle.

Marc Jacobs Metallic Purple Camouflage
 Print Top (Fall 2009), Perforated Silk Tank, and Metallic
Lavender Jeans

Marc Jacobs Metallic Purple Camouflage
 Print Top (Fall 2009), Perforated Silk Tank, and Metallic
Lavender Jeans

In today’s case, Marc was taking me back to an era of fashion I was too young to appreciate, that weird late 80’s early 90’s time of over the top silhouettes, bold colors, and shades of denim that made everyday Easter- and I couldn’t have been happier to be there. This is an outfit you can’t help but have fun in.  Special touches like the metallic sheen to the lavender denim, the abstract camouflage print, the way the edges of the attached scarf are cut to give you the perfectly draped point, the perforated texture of the not so basic white tank give the outfit a special touch, and elevate it with a contemporary spin. Oh, and remember how I mentioned his “fashion barometer” being one step ahead of the game? This Lurex button down shirt is from Fall 2009, but look for the shiny material to be one of the big trends of the upcoming fall season.

Click to Enlarge

The bag in particular holds a special place in my heart- it was the first designer handbag I ever purchased. I have been given a few as wonderful gifts, but this was the first one bought with my own money.  The Quilted Single is perfect starter designer bag for your wardrobe. It’s a simple shape, completely functional and eternally classic. The quilting and flap are reminiscent of the iconic Chanel Classic, but the chain detailing that culminates in a delicate leather strap isn’t quite as heavy. The hardware is understated, with no blazing logos to keep it from being too flashy. You have to hold the bag to appreciate the butter-soft leather, its impeccable craftsmanship, and all the luxe ingredients that blend together to make a decadent home for my personal possessions.

Marc Jacobs Quilted Single

I wasn’t the only one who Marc played muse for this week. Coincidentally on the very day I chose to sport my full-out Marc Jacobs ensemble, my co-worker, dear friend, and author of The Life of a Paperdoll, Taryn Antoniou strolled in wearing her Marc By Marc Jacobs trench complete with Marc By Marc Jacobs studded satchel.  Not only did she look absolutely fabulous, she so graciously provided me with the perfect excuse to talk a little bit about his immensely successful diffusion line. 

Taryn in her Marc by Marc trench coat and
Marc by Marc studded satchel

Launched in 2001, it has become one of the most popular contemporary lines in the world, with several stores worldwide and consistently increasing quarterly sales.  All because of Marc Jacobs genius combined with the industry know-how of his long time business partner Robert Duffy.  The two have become a dynamic duo making great fashion, with the ability to sell the hell out of it.  A reasonable price point and incredible sense of kitschy, cliché, humor on top of bold color and design make the label an easy sell.  Marc by Marc Jacobs provides access to the same “street style” look of Marc Jacobs, albeit a little more tongue-in-cheek for a lower price-point.

A strong point of contention among diffusion lines is whether or not by lowering your price points you are also lowering the integrity of the main line.  Why buy a $900 top when you can buy a $200 one possesing the same name? It all comes down to the garments themselves. The Marc by Marc Jacobs line can offer garments at lower price points by using fabrics that are priced less per yard, patterns that are simpler to cut, and processes that are more attuned to mass market than the unique “one of a kind” processes that are associated with couture pieces.  A talented team assembled by Jacobs and Duffy are responsible for creating the collection, while Jacobs oversees and finalizes the end production. This is not to say that the diffusion line sacrifices quality or craftsmanship. While it may not be the astronomical price tags associated with the Marc Jacobs label, you’re still forking over a pretty penny for many of the Marc by Marc branded goods. That’s because the diffusion line places a strong emphasis on maintaining the integrity of its name sake.  Reluctant at first, I’m sure Jacobs doesn’t regret taking Duffy’s advice now that the diffusion label brings in the company’s most revenue!

To see more great photo’s from of Taryn’s Marc by Marc moment and a glimpse into the amazingly stylish life of a paper doll make sure to visit her blog: The Life of a Paper Doll. That also includes any of the male readers I might happen to have: Her Frequently Asked Man Questions section has the potential to become your new style bible.