Marc by Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York SS2012

The presentation of Marc Jacobs’ main collection is delayed by Hurricane Irene, so we’ll have to wait for his master’s collection until Thursday, the last day of New York Fashion Week. His second line Marc by Marc Jacobs was presented yesterday. And what a surprise. Instead of his signature vintage look and feel and references to other decades, this was a sleeker, cleaner and more grown up collection.

In the press release Bauhaus was mentioned as a source of influence, and minimalism certainly defined the collection in silhouette and color. There were boxy tops, shorts and simple shift dresses and skirts. Plain but powerful.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2011

There was a forties meets seventies feeling in the collection of Marc Jacobs’ second line, Marc by Marc Jacobs. What that translated into was a primmer, nerdier version of the Seventies, but with Jacobs’ vibe. This came across in the glassy, polished blouses and dresses that left practically everything to the imagination. This was not a sexy collection, nor was it sexless, it just maintained a more professional, adult mentality. The chunky knits, effortless dresses and sizable pants in muddy fall colours of orange and brown had a thrifted, serious quality to them. It somteimes reminded of Annie Hall. Also attractive was the Navajo-style ethnic prints on jackets and a long poncho.

This was a very commercial and dressed collection, but done in a casual way. Elegant dressing the easy way. Don’t we all want that?

An Anna dello Russo moment at Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2011

It was all about polka dots and  looking polished at Marc Jacobs. Again, but now two decades later Marc Jacobs decided to use his favorite print again. It was a big step from his YSL/Seventies inspired spring-collection, but the designer couldn’t care less. He told WWD he’d thought about all things he’d done in the past and what he’d loved. He ran through all of his collections and presented his description of classic. From the trompe l’oeil to the polka dots to the glam collection that had the rubber, and the sweats that he’d done, all those crazy American classics. He just wanted to have fun.

We’re familiar with his mood-swings now, so it’s goodbye to gentle fluidity and hello to an austere line that was sliver thin and had a couture-like precision but also a girlish charm. The dots came small, medium and large; matt and shiny; flat and 3D and in an various fabrics: prints and embroideries, rubber and pailettes, fur and fake fur. Often Jacobs started with a white shirt as a first layer under  a boxy sweatshirt or curvy jacket over slim, sexy skirts. He also showed  sweaters, a men’s coat,  sailor pants and romantic lace dresses detailed with  jabots.

As for accessories, spotted socks, mini-berets and a range of slush-busting snow boots completed the collection. Plus handbags in vibrant car-paint.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York SS2011

Today Marc Jacobs’ models had the same frizzy hairdo as in his other show yesterday. Yet apart from the hair there was a whole different vibe going on. The spring/summer collection had everything in it the Marc by Marc Jacobs brand is famous for: flirty, playful, bright, young, wearable clothes and accessories.

Marc Jacobs chose orange and bright (almost neon) yellow as his main colors. He used those in his jumpsuits, summer dresses and skirts. Even the thick bangles and streetwise bags came in those eye-catching shades. Not to mention the models’ orange-colored lips.

The silhouette was feminine and playful at the same time. In most designs the waist was accentuated, the skirts and dresses came by in a flared version and the pants ended above the models’ ankles.

Remarkable were some ultra-short, yet high-waisted shorts and classic bathing suits. Less impressive were several shirt dresses and some navy-inspired red & white striped Tees. Also we must say the helmet hats most models wore on their heads looked kinda awkward.

For men Marc Jacobs came up with long (trench)coats, sweaters and shirts. The legs and sleeves of most pants and jackets seemed too short (7/8), but judging from the female looks this will be the style for next spring.

The male models wore their looks very careless; loose tie, standing shirt collar, tucked up sleeves and sneakers. Very cool & funky indeed!

All looks were perfectly balanced and had the right feeling, color and fit for the slightly younger audience Marc Jacobs aims at with this line. Their might have been an overkill on the stripes, but overall we liked what we saw.

Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York SS2011

Marc Jacobs’ fashion shows have changed a lot in the last few years. They used to start 3 hours late and Monday night it appeared Marc and his crew was too early. Half an hour before the show his team Tweeted ‘Marc’s ready now. Were waiting for editors.’ Eventually the show started exactly one time, which led to Courtney Love watching only the tail end of the show.

With Vivaldi’s ‘Summer’ coming from the speakers Marc’s first models entered the catwalk. After only one look we could tell what Marc’s inspiration was. His seventies-theme was visible in every little detail.

There were easy breezy dresses, blouses and jumpsuits all, of course, in the right seventies shades (burgundy, amber, coral pink, Byzantine, bright maroon). The busy prints from that era were present too, as well as the flared pants, which we saw on a jumpsuit and a metallic pair of pants. The shorts were tiny and the slits were high. Lots of fabrics were sheer ones and the pants were high waisted.

The make-up was perfect for the show. The models had bleached eyebrows, shiny eyelids (from lots of Vaseline) and matte, stained lips. Their hair was all frizzy and often decorated by an enormous flower.

Those flowers (which were actually lily’s) popped up everywhere in the show. Around the models’ necks and waists and on the collars of their clothes. Large hats, round sunglasses en small bags and clutches completed the looks.

Marc Jacobs brought back the seventies! And he did so in a very cool and modern way. So just like the curvy collection he designed for Louis Vuitton last season this one is bound the set the trend for a whole new fashion season. (And we’re so excited!)

Ps. It was rumoured that the show area is also the backdrop of the spring/summer campaign. Marc Jacobs might have show the campaign in tandem with the show.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2010

The models at Marc Jacobs’ second show were as loosely styled as the ones at his first show this week. The hair and make-up stayed natural and even the clothes looked as if no one bothered to think about it too much.

The Marc by Marc Jacobs collection had a very youthful vibe. The careless models looked somewhat like rebellious teenagers who just came out of school.

The first few girls wore striped dresses, skirts and tops combined with neutral pants and jackets. The boys wore wide pants with shirts, cardigans and winter coats with fur collars. All coats and jackets had some military influences, which we’ve seen in many fw2010 fashion shows already.

The first half of the show we saw hues of red, olive, khaki and beige, which looked perfect for fall. Then during the second half of the show, after a few tartan designs, the clothes mostly turned black. The models, who wore dark shades, looking as if they were going to a funeral.

Overall the collection was very tame and serious. With most skirts and dresses at knee-length all looks seemed appropriate for wearing to a family dinner.

Marc Jacobs clearly wasn’t in the mood to scream and shout, but hopefully next time he brings back some fun to his fashion.

Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2010

No final changes or last minutes alterations were possible at Marc Jacobs’ fashion show. All of his models were already visible on stage at the beginning of the show. At first they were standing in a wooden frame, wrapped up in brown paper. Yet as Marc Jacobs tore off the paper they just stood there waiting to hit the runway.

Fortunately they didn’t have to wait very long. Because since Marc Jacobs banned celebs at his show this year he was able to start the show on time, for once. (His shows used to always start way too late, one time the delay was three hours.)

The first few outfits of the show could best be described as simple and sober. The wide skirts and the neutral grey shades did not make our hearts beat faster.

Then it got a little funkier as large fur coats with huge fur collars and cuffs were introduced. Though the hues of grey and beige were the same and they stayed the same throughout the collection.

The three new faces from last season, our Dutch top models, walked in the show as well. Bregje Heinen appeared in one of the sheer dresses of the collection. Patricia van der Vliet wore one too, yet hers was combined with a long striped coat. Mirte Maas wore a pair of colored glasses, which didn’t look too cool.

Several sequined looks reminded us of the fact that we were watching a Marc Jacobs fashion show for the winter of 2010/2011. We’d almost forget that while none of the clothes in this collection were very renewing.

But it seemed that was exactly Marc Jacobs’ point. He told the press: ‘There’s so much striving for newness now that newness feels less new.’ So he purposely didn’t go for something new or different. He just showed he knows what he’s doing and showed he’s good at it too.

But we’re not satisfied that easily…

The show ended with a few shiny dresses. Yet while the models wore hardly any make up and just let their hair hang loose the finale didn’t look very impressive. Marc could have put a little bit more effort into that part, if you ask us.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

The Marc by Marc Jacobs line he presented for Spring  was one of his liveliest in a while. Maybe it’s because Marc Jacobs borrowed some of the details from his own recent oeuvre. To start with, the models all wore bunny bows in their hair, like Madonna’s Vuitton getup at the Met Ball, but in a smaller version. Then there were the jackets and coats with the still-directional forties-by-way-of-the-eighties  shoulders. Fall’s neons reappeared as well. But not everything was taken from Jacobs’ previous collections. The African-inspired prints he used for easy, belted day dresses played into New York’s  tribal trend. And Jacobs also showed a lot of jumpsuits—the cutest in sporty blue. How daring.

Madonna at Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

Life is a theater. And so is fashion. Look at the front row at Marc Jacobs, with Madonna, Juergen Teller and Rachel Zoe amongst others. But that was not the message at Marc Jacobs, he is  tired of seeing young girls wearing only black.  They don’t express their individual style, he thinks. And that’s what Jacobs want to change next season. If last season was a trip back in time to the eighties, his new collection is a trip to the theater, the ballet, the opera.  The references, as usual, came at fast speed: touches of Zandra Rhodes, a nod to Rei Kawakubo and the all-Americanisms like sportswear.  The show opened with a conventional raincoat belted above the waist. Later, Jacobs teamed trim military jackets with long, full skirts. There were also lamé dresses, lace openwork coats and suits in white and black sequins and sparkly, leg-baring eveningwear.

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