Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs's chaotic beginnings

Marc Jacobs was born in 1963 in New York into a fairly well-off family. He was raised by his paternal grandmother in her apartment on the Upper West Side. It was she who introduced Marc Jacobs to sewing and knitting. Drawn to this activity, he enrolled at the High School of Art and Design in the city. What is more, alongside his studies, Marc Jacobs worked as a stockroom clerk at Charivari, an avant-garde emblem of the era. He very quickly affirmed his wish to become a designer. On the advice of Perry Ellis, he enrolled at the Parsons School of Design in New York. At the end of his studies, four years later, he presented a project centered on a collection of oversized sweaters decorated with bright pink smiley faces. A businessman in the audience, Robert Duffy, was completely won over by the project. This is how their collaboration began. It took time to get off the ground, however, for lack of serious financial partners. Recognition nonetheless came in 1988, when Marc Jacobs was put in charge of the Perry Ellis creations while Robert Duffy held the position of president at the same company. There, they developed a grunge collection that did not suit the house's taste and got them fired. Nevertheless, the message had come through, and this is how Marc Jacobs made a name for himself in the fashion world.

The peak of Marc Jacobs's career

On his 31st birthday, in 1994, Marc Jacobs made his grand comeback with a highly bold collection. It was described by WWD magazine as a little funky, a little trashy and a little chic. These three characteristics perfectly capture Marc Jacobs's style, a direction he never left behind. Indeed, Marc Jacobs still works within this register, also drawn strongly to the retro trend of the 70s. He champions the idea of an elegant, relaxed youth, and it seems that his career is now at its peak. What is more, in the early 2000s, he also joined the Louis Vuitton company, considerably reviving the image of the house, which had been growing somewhat dated. In perfumery terms, Marc Jacobs takes care to match his outfits with highly bold creations. He works in partnership with Coty Parfums and releases new fragrances every year. Moreover, his Splash collection, showcasing a different raw material or olfactory theme each time, is particularly well recognized. What is more, Marc Jacobs conceives each of his bottles as true sculptures. His talent in perfumery has likewise been rewarded with numerous prizes, including several Fifi Awards as well as an award at the Grand Prix du Parfum.