In terms of the news cycle, the past four days have been some of the most depressing for many. Marc Jacobs didn’t know this when he planned his now traditionally off-calendar fall 2024 show when his PR team sent out a save-the-date invitation a few weeks ago.
So it was a special treat for guests, like his friend Anna Sui and model Karen Elson, to escape into the hallowed and beautifully solemn marble walls of the New York Public Library and set aside grave thoughts about the state of global affairs to embrace the pure, simple beauty of fashion – or as Jacobs put it in his show notes: “Joy, period.”
While a Marc Jacobs collection rarely disappoints, his fall launch comes on the heels of a particularly high note for his spring collection, which played with outsized proportions and doll-like silhouettes, leaving New York with a real fashion moment.
Jacobs did the same for this collection, which hits stores this month, leveraging some of the larger-than-life themes as an evolution of mood.
She backed up her “Joy, Period” statement by advocating for unrestricted freedom of expression in fashion in the name of “joy, beauty and personal transformation” to remind people of the importance of the medium. Reason to be. He strengthened his conviction by confirming his search for love, faith and reflection, stating: “I believe in living authentically, free from the validation and permission of absurd conservatism and social norms.”
For this, the soundtrack was composed by the avant-garde “Trial/Prison” by Philip Glass and Robert Wilson, from Einstein on the Beach. The music of the lyrics referred to someone who discovers a 4He July swim cap on sale at a grocery store as they realized it had been a while since they had been to the beach, perhaps a timely theme for a July afternoon.
Four crisp, sculpted white poplin dresses with enlarged eyelets and a retro flare and the bikinis that followed that opened the show suggested that Jacobs either felt compelled to offer traditional fabrications typically indicative of the fall selling season or to play it safe when it came to conventional notions of flattering silhouettes that would have been less daring and exciting.
Instead, Jacobs delighted in revisiting retro touches and giving them a cartoon-chic twist. Bodices had pointed bust lines, à la 1950s bullet bras; a side-swept hem on the look's opening dress was Marilyn Monroe in “The Seven Year Itch”;He19th-century-inspired crinolines were seen under sheer sequined dresses or gave miniskirts a hipless, fresh look. Tulip-shaped skirts, especially with a red and white shirt, were reminiscent of the cheeky cartoon character Minx, Olive Oyl; flesh tones were incorporated into the garment to give the illusion that it was strapless.
There was a 'yellow polka dot bikini' (the print looked big and bold everywhere) and a purple baby doll dress with white cuffs and collar that mimicked the top half of Barbra Streisand's risqué outfit at the 1969 Oscars.
Spring's fantastical bejeweled gown, worn by guest Jessica Wang, evolved into pastel-colored gemstones covering tailored styles in mini lengths and oversized buttons.
To accentuate the look, models wore large eyelid and eyelash covers evoking Jan from the “Muppet Show,” floral brooches with photos printed on lapels, and sleeves sewn forward so that even on oversized shapes the arms looked too small, pulling them awkwardly forward.
The spring collection’s exaggerated shoe shape evolved into sandal styles, and soft, single-handle satchel bags with a chain detail were worn front and center in several styles—a smart move considering the importance of the category to the brand.
It was clear throughout that Jacobs enjoyed his process and designed for the sake of good design, bringing fashion into the dreamlike space that allows us to transform ourselves. While the current world events around us cannot be controlled, garments like this offer a playful refuge.
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