Marc Jacobs is not concerned with what other people are doing. This is something that the designer has made clear since the beginning of his career—and at the helm of his own eponymous label, why should he? He shows off schedule, right between the end of men's week and the beginning of couture week in Paris, he wants nothing to do with bending to the luxury slowdown despite the pressure it’s putting on even the biggest houses—instead, Jacobs is singularly concerned with expressions of beauty.
At least, that’s what his Fall/Winter 2025 collection felt like. Exaggerated proportions are his leitmotif at the moment, and in New York last night, Jacobs only doubled down on the silhouette, exercising his free will to overstate proportions in new ways.
Courtesy of Marc Jacobs
The opening look, for example, was a pair of truly humungous green cargo pants with quad pockets, almost big enough to hold a Macbook, followed by equally large, stiff, white square jeans that came with a 2D, oversized bow fastened to the back. Sleeves were twisted, puffed, and padded, similar to the hems of the fitted skirts, which met the ankles of towering, stilt-like leather boots..
Jacobs has always flirted with punk, and here, it was communicated through an underscoring of deconstruction. Fabrics were wrapped around torsos, lace hastily draped off shoulders; lace bras were layered over puffy bodices and embellished with strings of pearls and crystals.
Courtesy of Marc Jacobs
Courtesy of Marc Jacobs
Victorian motifs were also present. Last season’s all-Americanism was swapped out for bustles and hobble skirts and the same two-dimensional bows fastened onto the back of models’ heads. All very gothic romanticism, especially the final three looks: a floral silk black gown printed with thorned roses, a purple lace gown covered entirely with black bows, and a voluminous tartan top with a black taffeta skirt lined with lace like a Lemony Snickett bride.
Courtesy of Marc Jacobs
Joy and beauty is intercepted by brief moments of horror. Hips are padded and jut out on a sickly green lace gown. One dress is made of lace-printed lavender latex and laid over a boned corset, evoking just a whisper of body-horror when contrasted with the models’ pale skin. Of 19 looks, a standout was on Alex Consani, who wore a padded mini skirt layered with a featherlight translucent floral dress, puffed at the shoulders and gathered at the waist with a ribbon, like a cartoonish Victorian doll.
Courtesy of Marc Jacobs
We are in an economic moment where many designers are fearful of play versus wearability. Not Jacobs. And the few who are still marching to the beat of their own drum are looking more successful than ever.
