Just one week ahead of the official start to New York Fashion Week, Marc Jacobs presented his Spring/Summer 2024 collection on Friday night at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. The show began promptly at 6 p.m. as doll-like models strode underneath a set of oversized folding chairs with a matching table. Featured as part of the runway set design, the pieces are a sculptural work, aptly titled “No title (folding table and chairs, beige),” by the late American artist Robert Therrien who was known for his massive sculptures and models.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Jacobs’ eponymous label, which the brand has been celebrating through a series of viral promotional videos. One might have assumed that the designer would mark the occasion with festivities befitting the milestone. Perhaps a retrospective collection calling to mind some of his hallmark designs—his youth-centric grunge collection for Perry Ellis or his ’90s minimalist looks during his tenure at Louis Vuitton or even his collaborations with artists like Stephen Sprouse and Takashi Murakami. But Jacobs has never been one to adhere to others’ expectations.
Instead, his Spring/Summer 2024 boasted dolls come to life with proportion and scale bringing drama to the ’60s-inspired garments. Waistlines jut out where hemlines are cinched, and vice versa. Sweatsuit sets made with a foam-like fabric appear to rest atop the body rather than conform to it, while oversized sweaters seem to fall forward with their weight. Bags, including the beloved Y2K Venetia bag, are touted in XXL styles. And these themes are only further emphasized by the beauty: hair teased to new heights; eyes lined with thick black liner; long chunky lashes à la Twiggy.
After 40 years, Jacobs doesn’t need pomp and circumstance to make his mark—he lets the clothes speak for themselves.
