It all happened in the blink of an eye. Marc Jacobs‘ collection presentation in the majestic marble atrium of the New York Public Library was as fast-paced as it was striking, right after a weekend of Pride celebrations.
As promised, the show started promptly at 7:30 p.m., and at 7:33 p.m., Jacobs made his entrance onto the runway with a brief greeting. He seemed to have adapted his presentation to the fragmented attention of the current digital audience, and the program notes, generated by artificial intelligence and ChatGPT, supported this suspicion, although the repetitive nature of the computer’s writing was evident.
Upon observing the collection before reading the computer-generated text, the impression was that of a classic Marc Jacobs: feminine, sensual, and punk lines all at once, showcasing his ability to alter traditional styles and imbue them with bold and edgy attitude. The cisgender models walked together, sporting bold blonde hairstyles, many miniskirts, and form-fitting outfits as they sped down the runway in a coordinated fashion, only to return and conclude the day.
The collection featured some daring and personalized looks to support the AI-created title: “Marc Jacobs: a stunning fusion of masculine tailoring and feminine elegance.” This was manifested in five standout black and white suits, with details such as nipped waists, cropped waists, exaggerated shoulder pads, and refined draping that gave them a feminine touch.
However, much of the collection was based on “altered dresses,” with thigh-grazing hemlines, prominent shoulders, a redesigned rounded bralette, and modern draping that transformed evening gowns into daring ensembles that could be worn by both Courtney Love and Molly Ringwald in “Pretty in Pink.” Undoubtedly, current it girls, with or without musical inclinations, would also be delighted with these garments.
The designs were complemented with black stockings reaching above the ankle, ankle-high white socks, and flat shoes, evoking Edie Sedgwick and paying homage to the underground music scene of New York in the 60s, 70s, and even 80s, which continues to inspire today’s youth. Some of the looks also incorporated bloomer-style panties, emphasizing the provocative nature of the mini-dresses.
A notable absence in the collection was fur, both real and synthetic. Although this did not hinder PETA from causing an unexpected disruption before and after the carefully edited show, which had just over 100 guests and was practically free from the usual onslaught of photographers and fans that typically accompany such events. Jacobs has never been known to use fur garments, and in his recent collections, only faux fur jackets have been presented. The chants accusing the designer of having blood on his hands were misguided and likely aimed at criticizing the industry in general. In any case, PETA’s presence was further aggravated by the loud megaphones they used to berate the attendees.
Jacobs’ off-schedule presentation of the collection, exclusively available at Bergdorf Goodman, was a delight for all the attendees. It coincided with a Tears for Fears concert near Madison Square Garden, allowing those with double plans for the evening to enjoy both the fashion show and the concert without any issues. However, the fast pace of the runway took some guests by surprise, including Anna Sui, Nicky Hilton, Inez Lamsweerde, and Vinoodh Matadin.
The beloved designer and the band members, Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, are creative contemporaries; Jacobs founded his eponymous brand in 1984, while Tears for Fears formed in 1981. Each artist has a recognized body of work to which they constantly add new material. The duo demonstrated this in their first MSG concert, performing their greatest hits for two hours and also introducing new songs. Similarly, Jacobs did the same in his runway show: classic Marc style with a contemporary twist. However, it would have been better to savor that moment for a longer time. When Jacobs took a brief bow at the end of the show, it was easy to draw a parallel with the prodigious child in science class rushing through their presentation despite being the top student in the class.
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