Marc Jacobs

1963- Present

           Marc Jacobs was born in New York City in 1963, his grandmother taught him how to knit, and he has been known to say that is grandmother was the biggest influence in his life. When Marc was 15 he worked as a stock boy at the trendy Charivari boutique, he was introduced to Perry Ellis at this time and Marc looked up to him greatly. Marc said Perry Ellis, “embodied cool to me. He had long hair; he didn’t wear a suit and tie, and he made funky clothes that were a big success. He gave me a lot of hope”. Marc studied at the Parsons School of Art and Design, where he won the Perry Ellis Golden Thimble award in 1984. He designed a grunge collection for Perry Ellis but they laid him off in 1992. Two years later he launched his on line, Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista supported his line and worked for free. In 1997 Marc was appointed creative director of Louis Vuitton where he made the company’s first ready-to-wear line; he revamped the accessories line and has collaborated with Steven Sprouse, Julie Verhoeven, Takashi Murakami and Richard Prince. 

Influences:

the 60's

 20's Flapper

Club Culture

Classic

(Pictures from Stylesight and Getty Images)

          Marc Jacobs is known for having a unique style and clothing that fits a woman beautifully. He has Collaborated with many designers that have led him to become the great American fashion designer he is today. 

          In the 90's Marc worked for Perry Ellis, he created a grunge look that reflected on the music and street wear of the time. This look didn't really fit in with the company's collections so Marc was fired. Marc is inspired by many designers he loves Courreges designs for his short and crisp look, he also loves Elsa Schiaparelli for her whimsy style and sense of humor. You can see a lot of influence from Schiaparelli in Marc's work by using bright colors.

          Marc influences other designers such as Derek Lam who combines sporty silhouettes with luxurious fabrics. Other designers like Christopher Bailey for Burberry and Antonio Marras for Kenzo have been influenced by his work. 

          Marc Jacobs to be is an iconic designer because he consistently creates popular designs that inspire designers; that to me automatically makes him an icon. He incorporates many different decades into his designs and it always seems to work; meshing the 60's with the 20's in his latest S/S 12 line was amazing and the two decades somehow fit perfectly together. 

      I have been lucky enough to own many pieces by Marc Jacobs, from shoes to purses to clothes, i love everything i own and i am a very big fan of his designs. His designs are clean but edgy, classic but alternative. 

  (Stylesight)

 (NY Times)

Works Cited

Craven, Jo. "Marc Jacobs." Fashion News, Latest Trends, Catwalk Photos & Designers (Vogue.com UK). Web. 04 Dec. 2011. <http://www.vogue.co.uk>.

"Marc Jacobs." Stock Photography, Royalty-Free Photos, Video Footage & Music | Getty Images. Web. 04 Dec. 2011. <http://gettyimages.com>.

"Marc Jacobs." Stylesight: Home. Web. 04 Dec. 2011. <http://stylesight.com>.

Thompson, Ginger. "Marc Jacobs | Spring Summer 2012 Full Fashion Show | Exclusive." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Web. 04 Dec. 2011. <http://nytimes.com>.