Marc Jacobs has done it again! He's celebrated his label's 40th anniversary with a stunning runway show that has left the fashion world in awe. The show, held at the Park Avenue Armory in New York, featured a collection that paid homage to the 60s and 70s with a modern twist.
Models strutted their stuff dressed as dolls with big wigs and Twiggy-style makeup. The collection featured skirt suits with exaggerated shoulder silhouettes, oversized knitwear, reinterpreted classics, dresses with large sequins, and chunky heels. It was a feast for the eyes, and if Truman Capote's swans and their peers were dolls, they would have been envious of Jacobs' latest collection.
Photo courtesy of Marc Jacobs
Despite the milestone anniversary, Jacobs has kept things relatively low-key on social media, sharing some vintage campaign photos and the newest campaign featuring Cindy Sherman, FKA Twigs, and Lila Moss. However, the fashion crowd knows that a Marc Jacobs show is always a big deal.
As always, fashion intersects with the art world; Marc Jacobs Spring 2024 was no exception. The show's location at the Armory was stripped down to its bare bones, with folding chairs arranged in a row on either side of the runway and a table and four gigantic beige folding chairs at the end. It was a 2006 piece by the artist Robert Therrien, on loan from the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Therrien's work was known for his outsize sculptures of seemingly simple and mundane objects, and his unique style is associated with a sense of childlike wonder.
Photos courtesy of Marc Jacobs
Jacobs' collection was titled "Wonder," and his thoughts on the show were printed on the show notes. He wrote, "My love for the commonplace is a constant and meaningful lifelong affair. Through the unavoidable lens of time, my glass remains full of wonder and reflection. By examining the memorable and the mundane, we abstract and exaggerate our desire to express something naïve and elegant."
The presentation had a nostalgic vibe, highlighting the beauty of simple things that ignite wonder, joy, creativity, and fun in a designer's creations. The models portrayed dolls, sporting exaggerated 1960s glamorous outfits with voluminous, windswept hair in vintage dye colors by Duffy and classic makeup styles by Diane Kendal. The clothing, footwear, and bags were designed to fit like paper doll clothes, appearing cartoonish and intentionally standing off the body, blurring the lines between two-dimensional and three-dimensional designs. Some models even posed with their arms frozen in a perfect doll-like manner.
Photos courtesy of Marc Jacobs
The exhibition presented a variety of fashion pieces, including secretarial ensembles reminiscent of the Sixties, brooches that create optical illusions, jackets with striking contours, bold and chunky sweaters, and grey skirts with cartoonish Mary Janes. The fashion show also featured velour tracksuits by Juicy Couture worn with panties from Jacobs' newly introduced Heaven sub-brand. The runway saw the introduction of pastel tops and frayed combat boots paired with extreme culottes, providing a grungy touch. The collection primarily focused on classic dressing styles that were prevalent on screen in the past.
The show was a hit, with the fashion crowd raving about "swans" and the stark black ladylike bustier tops, sweetheart necklines, and golden mirrored gowns with enormous bell sleeves. It was a perfect blend of the past and present, leaving everyone excited for what Marc Jacobs will bring to the runway next.
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