marc Jacobs
(1963-Present)
Biography
Marc Jacobs was born in New York City to a pair of talent agents (Vogue). At age 7, he experienced the death of his father. With struggles living with his mother, adolescent Jacobs moves in with his grandmother, his self-proclaimed biggest influence, who taught him to knit (Boone). At 13, Jacobs starts a stock job at Charivari where he meets Perry Ellis, his future employer and fashion inspiration (Vogue). Taking advice from his mentor Ellis, he enrolls at Parsons’ School of Design in 1981. Meanwhile he joins the Manhattan club scene frequenting Studio 54 with dreams of becoming a glamorous socialite.
At Parsons, the young prodigy is awarded Parsons’Design Student of the Year and receives the Chester Weingberg and Perry Ellis Gold Thimble awards (the youngest to do so). After designing a collection of sweaters for Charivari and Reuben Thomas, he gained exposure from the New York Times (Boone). Jacobs cites this moment as “sort of the beginnings of [his] career” (Vogue).
In 1988, Jacobs is named vice president the womenswear division of Perry Ellis where he gained recognition for his then-revolutionary “grunge” collection but dismissal from Perry Ellis executives. The “visual noise” he created caught the eye of Louis Vuitton for their lacking ready-to-wear label (Boone). There he was able to tread the waters and gain confidence as a designer. Through negotiations with the company, he gained financial backing to create his own line (Boone) as well as build a reputation for himself.
At Parsons, the young prodigy is awarded Parsons’Design Student of the Year and receives the Chester Weingberg and Perry Ellis Gold Thimble awards (the youngest to do so). After designing a collection of sweaters for Charivari and Reuben Thomas, he gained exposure from the New York Times (Boone). Jacobs cites this moment as “sort of the beginnings of [his] career” (Vogue).
In 1988, Jacobs is named vice president the womenswear division of Perry Ellis where he gained recognition for his then-revolutionary “grunge” collection but dismissal from Perry Ellis executives. The “visual noise” he created caught the eye of Louis Vuitton for their lacking ready-to-wear label (Boone). There he was able to tread the waters and gain confidence as a designer. Through negotiations with the company, he gained financial backing to create his own line (Boone) as well as build a reputation for himself.
Designs
Critical Analysis
Marc Jacobs embodied the youth culture of the late 1990s-early 2000s. He had an advantage in being exposed to the industry at such an early age. That youthful insight allowed him to connect with his audience in ways his older predecessors could not. He was living the lifestyle that his collections embodied youth culture reigned supreme with the rise of the MTV generation and Jacobs was leading the way. Known as the “Grunge Guru” by Women’s Wear Daily (Gale), he was known for collaborating high fashion with youthful, rebellious designs. Being part of the New York club scene early in his life was the foundation to his connection with subculture. Bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and Courtney Love inspired Jacobs to send models wearing flannels, combat boots, and bed hair down the runways. Although his Perry Ellis 1993 Spring-Summer grunge line did not reach commercial success, its impact shocked and awed the fashion industry (Pendergast) and showed the world that he was Generation X’s king of cool. It created an iconic look that is resurging with the current generation’s trends.
“I don't think, 'Gee, I''d like to dress this person.' There was a picture in Us magazine. It was a jersey dress, and Courtney Love was wearing it. I have this thing about Courtney Love, this funny worship.”
—Marc Jacobs (Bio)
Other than his mentor, Perry Ellis, Jacobs took inspiration from Halston, André Courrèges, Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent, and Coco Chanel. From Halston he learned to capture the essence of New York chic and from Schiaparelli he translated her witty sense of humor into runway success (Palomo-Lovinski). That tongue-in-cheek quirkiness can be seen in his campaigns with the help of photographer Juergen Teller and the cast of celebrities and models that grace their esoteric advertisements (Cohn). From Yves Saint Laurent, Jacobs found inspiration from the flirtatious sex appeal that the brand achieved in the 1980s (Palomo-Lovinski). Jacobs lived the lifestyle and brand that he was generating just as Coco Chanel embodied her brand. Her notorious tweed coats and suits are seen in Jacobs’ 2008 collection (Palomo-Novinski) and even her staple jersey dresses into his grunge line (Bio).
Music and subculture have always been huge inspirations to Jacobs’ work. He is known to listen to everything from Sonic Youth to classical music repeatedly during his design process (Palomo-Lovinski). The 1970s-1980s have inspired Jacobs’ work with alternative fabrications for different silhouettes. The 1980s brought inspiration for his Fall 2009 line replete with neon colors and glam-rock ideals. Travel has also impacted the designer’s aesthetic throughout the years. Whether he is translating Parisian chic into his Louis Vuitton collections or integrating Japanese silhouettes into his own line (Palomo-Lovinksi), Jacobs still interprets a sense of cool into all his works.
“I like romantic allusions to the past: what the babysitter wore, what the art teacher wore, what I wore during my experimental days in fashion when I was going to Mudd Club and wanted to be a New Wave kid or a punk kid but was really a poseur. It’s the awkwardness of posing and feeling like I was in, but I never was in. Awkwardness gives me great comfort.”
-Marc Jacobs (Palomo-Lovinski)
“I don't think, 'Gee, I''d like to dress this person.' There was a picture in Us magazine. It was a jersey dress, and Courtney Love was wearing it. I have this thing about Courtney Love, this funny worship.”
—Marc Jacobs (Bio)
Other than his mentor, Perry Ellis, Jacobs took inspiration from Halston, André Courrèges, Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent, and Coco Chanel. From Halston he learned to capture the essence of New York chic and from Schiaparelli he translated her witty sense of humor into runway success (Palomo-Lovinski). That tongue-in-cheek quirkiness can be seen in his campaigns with the help of photographer Juergen Teller and the cast of celebrities and models that grace their esoteric advertisements (Cohn). From Yves Saint Laurent, Jacobs found inspiration from the flirtatious sex appeal that the brand achieved in the 1980s (Palomo-Lovinski). Jacobs lived the lifestyle and brand that he was generating just as Coco Chanel embodied her brand. Her notorious tweed coats and suits are seen in Jacobs’ 2008 collection (Palomo-Novinski) and even her staple jersey dresses into his grunge line (Bio).
Music and subculture have always been huge inspirations to Jacobs’ work. He is known to listen to everything from Sonic Youth to classical music repeatedly during his design process (Palomo-Lovinski). The 1970s-1980s have inspired Jacobs’ work with alternative fabrications for different silhouettes. The 1980s brought inspiration for his Fall 2009 line replete with neon colors and glam-rock ideals. Travel has also impacted the designer’s aesthetic throughout the years. Whether he is translating Parisian chic into his Louis Vuitton collections or integrating Japanese silhouettes into his own line (Palomo-Lovinksi), Jacobs still interprets a sense of cool into all his works.
“I like romantic allusions to the past: what the babysitter wore, what the art teacher wore, what I wore during my experimental days in fashion when I was going to Mudd Club and wanted to be a New Wave kid or a punk kid but was really a poseur. It’s the awkwardness of posing and feeling like I was in, but I never was in. Awkwardness gives me great comfort.”
-Marc Jacobs (Palomo-Lovinski)
Influence
Even today Jacobs is one of the most influential designer in the industry. His take on playful luxury and easy elegance make him one of the few designers that fashion industry professionals look to for the direction and focus of each upcoming season (Palomo-Lovinski). Although he has not created any new design innovations or silhouettes, his icon status stems from his ability to surpass the pace of fashion in a modern era. His unapologetic relationship with the evolving generations has blessed him with an innate ability to communicate to people what they want to wear and how to wear it. He is able to keep up with the perpetual fashion pulse that drives trends with his intuitive and almost philosophical way he interprets truth, power, and vulnerability. He was able to construe the downtown aesthetic into an uptown force of fashion with his rapport with both the downtown city life and the uptown conservative elite.
His influence on his contemporaries and his successors has inspired generations of cool that permeates fashion history. Young design duo Proenza Schouler were influenced by Jacobs’ use of alternative fabrics and infatuation with the 1970s. His Spring 2008 collection showed sheer pants and blouses and the next year, Proenza Schouler followed the trend (Palomo-Lovinski). Antonio Marras for Kenzo related to Jacobs’ connection with the downtown girl and translating edgy street smarts with polished savoir faire. As Jacobs used fabric, color, and shape to emphasize sexuality, Miuccia Prada followed the path looking for fresh outlooks on philosophical image.
Through all the uphill battles and triumphant successes Marc Jacobs has made as an eclectic designer, he has ensured himself fashion longevity (Polan). His fresh perspective on the past, his unapologetic use of fabric and color, and his fashion intuition will always shock and awe the fashion industry. His relationship with the cool kids of every generation has transcended runway novelty and has leaped into the realm of conceptual high fashion and trend movement clairvoyance. His collections have varied from grunge to boho to New York chic and his eclectic ability to relate to his audiences has made a lasting impact on the fashion industry.
His influence on his contemporaries and his successors has inspired generations of cool that permeates fashion history. Young design duo Proenza Schouler were influenced by Jacobs’ use of alternative fabrics and infatuation with the 1970s. His Spring 2008 collection showed sheer pants and blouses and the next year, Proenza Schouler followed the trend (Palomo-Lovinski). Antonio Marras for Kenzo related to Jacobs’ connection with the downtown girl and translating edgy street smarts with polished savoir faire. As Jacobs used fabric, color, and shape to emphasize sexuality, Miuccia Prada followed the path looking for fresh outlooks on philosophical image.
Through all the uphill battles and triumphant successes Marc Jacobs has made as an eclectic designer, he has ensured himself fashion longevity (Polan). His fresh perspective on the past, his unapologetic use of fabric and color, and his fashion intuition will always shock and awe the fashion industry. His relationship with the cool kids of every generation has transcended runway novelty and has leaped into the realm of conceptual high fashion and trend movement clairvoyance. His collections have varied from grunge to boho to New York chic and his eclectic ability to relate to his audiences has made a lasting impact on the fashion industry.
Work Cited
"16. Womens SS08." Marcjacobs.com. Marc Jacobs, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.marcjacobs.com/lookbooks/marc-jacobs-collection/womens-ready-to-wear/spring--summer-2008/2a450898-4075-4c48-b5bf-30697aa1492a/16--womens-ss08>.
"14. Marina." marcjacobs.com. Marc Jacobs, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.marcjacobs.com/lookbooks/marc-by-marc-jacobs/womens-ready-to-wear/fall--winter-2008/15736782-6909-4c2a-9289-8f30ed258883/14--marina>.
"Advertisement: Marc Jacobs (Marc Jacobs)." Vogue Jul 01 2014: 12,12, 13. ProQuest. Web. 9 Sep. 2014 .
"Advertisement: Marc Jacobs (Marc Jacobs)." Vogue 11 2012: 10,10, 11. ProQuest. Web. 9 Sep. 2014 .
"Advertisement: Marc Jacobs Bags (Marc Jacobs)." Vogue Aug 01 2001: 110,110, 111. ProQuest. Web. 9 Sep. 2014 .
Boone, Mary, and Marc Jacobs. Marc Jacobs. New York: Chelsea House, 2011. Print.
"Jacobs, Marc." American Decades: 2000-2009. Ed. Eric Bargeron and James F. Tidd, Jr. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 181-182. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Aug. 2014.
Cohn, Hana. "6. Juergen Teller X Marc Jacobs." Complex. Complex Magazine, 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.complex.com/style/2013/04/the-50-best-artist-collaborations-in-fashion/juergen-teller-x-marc-jacobs>.
Condé Nast Archive/Corbis. "The 25 Most Memorable Fashion Moments of the '90s." Marie Claire. Marie Claire, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/trends/memorable-fashion-moments-of-the-90s-marc-jacobs-grunge#slide-9>.
Cohn, Hana. "6. Juergen Teller X Marc Jacobs." Complex. Complex Magazine, 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.complex.com/style/2013/04/the-50-best-artist-collaborations-in-fashion/juergen-teller-x-marc-jacobs>.
"Index Magazine." Index Magazine. Index Magazine, n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. <http://www.indexmagazine.com/interviews/marc_jacobs.shtml>.
"Grunge." Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 5: Modern World Part II: 1946-2003. Detroit: UXL, 2004. 988-990. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Aug. 2014.
"Marc Jacobs." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.biography.com/#!/people/marc-jacobs-594096#related-video-gallery>
"Marc Jacobs." Voguepedia. Vogue, n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Marc_Jacobs.
Palomo-Lovinski, Nöel. “Defining Women for a New Generation.” The World’s Most Influential Fashion Designers: Hidden Connections and Lasting Legacies of Fashion’s Iconic Creators. New York, NY: Barron’s, 2010. Print.
Polan, Brenda, and Roger Tredre. "Chapter 47 Marc Jacobs." The Great Fashion Designers. Oxford: Berg, 2009. 235-37. Print.
"Proenza Schouler Slideshow on Style.com." Style.com. Style, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2009RTW-PSCHOULER/#32>.
"Urban Outfitters - Blog - Got It Together: The Fashion Pack." Urban Outfitters - Blog - Got It Together: The Fashion Pack. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2014. <http://blog.urbanoutfitters.com/blog/fashion_failures>.
"16. Womens SS08." Marcjacobs.com. Marc Jacobs, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.marcjacobs.com/lookbooks/marc-jacobs-collection/womens-ready-to-wear/spring--summer-2008/2a450898-4075-4c48-b5bf-30697aa1492a/16--womens-ss08>.
"14. Marina." marcjacobs.com. Marc Jacobs, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.marcjacobs.com/lookbooks/marc-by-marc-jacobs/womens-ready-to-wear/fall--winter-2008/15736782-6909-4c2a-9289-8f30ed258883/14--marina>.
"Advertisement: Marc Jacobs (Marc Jacobs)." Vogue Jul 01 2014: 12,12, 13. ProQuest. Web. 9 Sep. 2014 .
"Advertisement: Marc Jacobs (Marc Jacobs)." Vogue 11 2012: 10,10, 11. ProQuest. Web. 9 Sep. 2014 .
"Advertisement: Marc Jacobs Bags (Marc Jacobs)." Vogue Aug 01 2001: 110,110, 111. ProQuest. Web. 9 Sep. 2014 .
Boone, Mary, and Marc Jacobs. Marc Jacobs. New York: Chelsea House, 2011. Print.
"Jacobs, Marc." American Decades: 2000-2009. Ed. Eric Bargeron and James F. Tidd, Jr. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 181-182. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Aug. 2014.
Cohn, Hana. "6. Juergen Teller X Marc Jacobs." Complex. Complex Magazine, 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.complex.com/style/2013/04/the-50-best-artist-collaborations-in-fashion/juergen-teller-x-marc-jacobs>.
Condé Nast Archive/Corbis. "The 25 Most Memorable Fashion Moments of the '90s." Marie Claire. Marie Claire, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/trends/memorable-fashion-moments-of-the-90s-marc-jacobs-grunge#slide-9>.
Cohn, Hana. "6. Juergen Teller X Marc Jacobs." Complex. Complex Magazine, 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.complex.com/style/2013/04/the-50-best-artist-collaborations-in-fashion/juergen-teller-x-marc-jacobs>.
"Index Magazine." Index Magazine. Index Magazine, n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. <http://www.indexmagazine.com/interviews/marc_jacobs.shtml>.
"Grunge." Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 5: Modern World Part II: 1946-2003. Detroit: UXL, 2004. 988-990. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Aug. 2014.
"Marc Jacobs." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.biography.com/#!/people/marc-jacobs-594096#related-video-gallery>
"Marc Jacobs." Voguepedia. Vogue, n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Marc_Jacobs.
Palomo-Lovinski, Nöel. “Defining Women for a New Generation.” The World’s Most Influential Fashion Designers: Hidden Connections and Lasting Legacies of Fashion’s Iconic Creators. New York, NY: Barron’s, 2010. Print.
Polan, Brenda, and Roger Tredre. "Chapter 47 Marc Jacobs." The Great Fashion Designers. Oxford: Berg, 2009. 235-37. Print.
"Proenza Schouler Slideshow on Style.com." Style.com. Style, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2009RTW-PSCHOULER/#32>.
"Urban Outfitters - Blog - Got It Together: The Fashion Pack." Urban Outfitters - Blog - Got It Together: The Fashion Pack. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2014. <http://blog.urbanoutfitters.com/blog/fashion_failures>.