Friday, November 25, 2011

Marc Jacobs: A History of Success

Happy late Thanksgiving everybody! 

Up here in Canada, us Americans don't get any holiday recognition (the Canadian Thanksgiving is in October, as they have an earlier harvest to celebrate), but I managed to rally together my roommates and collaborate on a really delicious meal! I made cheesecake (deadly...) and the rest of the meal went to the boys. All in all, it was a fantastic make shift "family" Thanksgiving with lots of laughs, good conversation, and random YouTube playlists (Harry Potter theme song anyone?).

The semester is slowly (and quickly) coming to a close, meaning I'm getting piles and piles of work that always seems to be due on the same day. Regardless, I'm still so excited to sit down at my computer everyday (almost) and get those creative juices flowing right onto the pages of my blog. Today is my last day highlighting Marc Jacobs, which I know I've been a little flighty about, but there are just so many exciting trends and events happening in the fashion world right now, such as a long whispered about collabo between Tom Ford and H&M, that it's hard to stay on track!

Speaking of topical fashion news, a Marc Jacobs advert for his new perfume "Oh Lola!" was recently banned in the U.K by the ASA, essentially for depicting a girl as "too childlike and sexual". Check out the story here and share your thoughts; is the ad pedophilic in nature, or simply portraying a story?

Anyway, here it is, my little abridged Marc Jacobs history, complete with photos of his work from over the years...

Marc Jacobs was born April 9, 1963 in New York City. He showed an affinity for art at an early age as he graduated from the High School of Art and Design, and then went on to study at Parson's School of Design in New York City (Project Runway anybody?)  In the mid 1980s he then joined forces with Robert Duffy, who is still his creative collaborator and business partner, and together they formed Jacobs Duffy Designs Inc., which still exists today. A couple years later, in 1986, Jacobs designed his first collection under the Marc Jacobs label.

Marc Jacobs
Robert Duffy

In 1994 Marc Jacobs produced his first full collection of menswear, and just three years later, in 1997, he was appointed created director of Louis Vuitton. He created LV's first prêt-à-porter collection, and he remains the creative director to this day. Just ten years ago, in 2001, Jacobs introduced his secondary line, Marc by Marc Jacobs, which is a diffusion line with more than 200 retail stores in 60 countries.

Jacobs continued to expand his company, and in 2006 he started a new line of body-splash fragrances in affordable 10 oz bottles. These fragrances have become increasingly popular in recent years. Jacobs has established himself as a prominent figure in the NYC celebrity scene, and he is quite a celebrity himself. Various celebrities commonly attend his fashion shows, such as Kim Gordon and Vincent Gallo. Jacobs commonly references past decades through his collections, particularly the 1980s and 1940s. Upon describing his clothes, Jacobs has said "what I prefer is that even if someone feels hedonistic, they don't look it. Curiosity about sex is much more interesting to me than domination. ... My clothes are not hot. Never. Never."

Vintage Marc Jacobs Dress, date unknown

Marc Jacobs Vintage 90s Tunic

Marc Jacobs Editorial Elle shoot 1992

Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis 1992

Marc Jacobs Fall 2000
Marc Jacobs Fall 2001 with Sophia Cappola
Marc Jacobs Spring 2005 on Jennifer Lopez
Marc Jacobs Spring 2005 on Kate Bosworth
Marc Jacobs Spring 2007
Marc Jacobs with Victoria Beckham 2008
Victoria Beckham in Marc Jacobs Spring 2009
Anne Hathaway in Marc Jacobs 2009
Frida Pinto in Marc Jacobs Fall 2010
Michelle Williams in Marc Jacobs Resort 2010
Marc Jacobs Spring 2010
Leighton Meester in Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2011

And you can, of course, refer to this post to check out Mr. Jacobs' most recent line, it's pretty much to die for....

Well, that was a lot of research, and a lot of beautiful clothing!! Jacobs has clearly made a smooth transition over the years, with each season being more exciting and innovative than the last. I'm guessing his innovation has a lot to do with why he wins so many awards...

Hope you learned as much as I did! Tomorrow and Sunday, get ready for some exciting *Weekend Obsessions*. What are you obsessing over this weekend (besides leftover turkey and pumpkin pie)?

Ciao for now xx

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