HOW DOES MARC JACOBS STAY IN THE CULTURAL ZEITGEIST?
Posted on by Cameron Tewson
From various iconic Louis Vuitton artist collaborations to his most recent Gen-Z line Heaven by Marc Jacobs, Marc Jacobs’ illustrious career as a fashion designer is largely accredited to his ability to spark youth-centered trends.
Since the beginning of Marc Jacobs’ fashion journey in the ’90s, the iconic American designer has been a leading figure in trend-setting and placing himself at the core of the ongoing cultural zeitgeist. Take a look at some of the moments from his fashion archives and runway presentations that defined him as popular culture’s it-designer.
Perry Ellis Grunge Collection
Once misunderstood and now visionary, Jacobs’ 1992 grunge-inspired collection for Perry Ellis is one of the designer’s earliest examples of being in touch with the youth zeitgeist. Jacobs was also one of the first to interpret grunge fashion, defined by hand-me-downs and thrift store finds, into luxury clothing.
Louis Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse
The start of many collaborations between artists and Louis Vuitton, fashion designer Stephen Sprouse’s 2001 monogram bags are a piece of fashion history. With Marc being the former creative director, Louis Vuitton accessories came alive with Sprouse’s illustrative graffiti-style branding was an edgier, cooler look for the classic heritage brand.
Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami
Jacobs, with the help of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, created the it-bag of the Y2K era in 2003. Murakami’s cherry motifs, signature illustrations, and brightly coloured monogram bags were the playful little sister to Sprouse’s in-your-face graffiti style. The Murakami bags were a Paris Hilton favourite, thus becoming a staple of fashion’s biggest trend of the early to mid-2000s.
Marc Jacobs' Kendall Jenner Debut
Contemporary supermodel Kendall Jenner made her New York Fashion Week runway debut in Jacobs’ Fall/Winter 2014, a career-defining moment for the reality star turned model. The neutral earth-toned collection itself was ahead of its time, as the monochromatic nude palette has made its way into 2020s fashion thanks to Kim Kardashian’s Skims line.
Heaven by Marc Jacobs
In a spirited resurgence of Jacobs’ love for youth subculture, Heaven is the newest line that exemplifies Gen-Z fashion. With grunge elements, vintage books, and Sofia Coppola references, it’s an archive of Y2K memorabilia curated alongside current fashion trends. With Nicki Minaj modelling for Heaven’s most recent campaign, the hype has only increased with each collection.
