Marc Jacobs closed out New York Fashion with a presentation held at the Park Avenue Armory, creating a minimalist backdrop that was the polar opposite of the pink sand mountains used by Puma and Rihanna in the same space a few days prior.
Offerings were colorful, fun and often over-sized and touched on iconic silhouettes and details from an array of decades past. Side-stepping the furor over hair in his last presentation, Jacobs put the models in turbans, which added an element of humorous glamour.
Still, while Jacobs is an all-star designer and very much loved in the industry, since shutting down Marc by Marc Jacobs (why did he do that??) and leaving behind his role as head creative at Louis Vuitton four years ago, it feels like he’s having trouble finding a message that connects in a deep way with his customer.
The industry at the moment is obsessed with high-end streetwear labels and two or three luxury labels so rising above that fray isn’t easy. It also doesn’t help that Jacobs’ boss is LVMH, which expects certain financial results.
The talent and the designs are there, but somehow LVMH and Jacobs needs to find a way to make a connection with a more youthful customer.
