The "Fashion Genius", Marc Jacobs

Jacobs has worked  his way up to the  forefront of fashion as he  is the head designer for  Marc Jacobs, the diffusion  line Marc by Marc Jacobs, as  well as the Creative Director of the  prestigious French design house Louis Vuitton. It’s quite hard to  compete with this fashion  mastermind, as he works incredibly  hard to succeed in living up to his  hype, even exceeding it, if at all  possible. Although Jacobs is known  around the world for his remarkable  success in fashion, he is indeed  recognized as New York’s very own  homegrown fashion genius.  

Born April 9, 1963 in New York City,  Marc Jacobs showed an early  interest in fashion, working as a stock  boy at Charivari, a NYC clothing  boutique, while attending the High  School of art and design. There is no  doubt that Jacobs was born an artist  in fashion, with such determination at  such a young age he proved early on that this was going to be his life. After  graduating in 1981, Jacobs entered  the Parson School of Design in New  York City. While attending Parsons,  Jacobs won the Perry Ellis Gold  Thimble Award in 1984 and in the same year was also awarded the  Chester Weinberg Gold Thimble  Award and the Design Student of the  Year Award. He was not one to be  held back in any way, Jacobs had  already managed to design and sell  his first collection of hand knit  sweaters before he had graduated  from Parsons. 

Following his studies at Parsons,  Jacobs landed a design job with  Perry Ellis and he became wellknown,  on the fashion scene, when  he designed a “grunge” collection for  Perry Ellis, leading to his dismissal.  Not discouraged, Jacobs pressed on  and teamed with Robert Duffy to start  designing his own creations. Even though Jacobs had no longer worked  for Perry Ellis, in 1987 he would soon find himself awarded the fashion industry’s highest tribute, the Council  of Fashion Designers of America  (CFDA) Perry Ellis Award for New  Fashion Talent. Jacobs was the youngest of all designers to have  ever received the CFDA award.  

In 1989 Jacobs and Duffy joined  together the women’s design unit of  Tristan Russo, as Vice President and President, respectively. In addition  Jacobs over-saw the design of the  various women’s licensees. In the  year of 1992, the Council of Fashion  Designers of America had once  again bestowed Jacobs with another achievement:TheWomen’s Designer  of the Year Award.  

By 1994, Jacobs had designed his own full line of menswear. It wasn’t  long before French Fashion house Louis Vuitton took notice, hiring  Jacobs as their Creative Director, a  title he has detained since the year  of 1997 and it was then that he  began creating the company’s first  ready-to-wear-line.  Jacobs is as notorious for his  advertising and social life as he is for  his clothes. He is a major fixture in  the New York City celebrity scene,  having become something of an icon  himself. Using such legendary stars  in his campaigns as child actress  Dakota Fanning, director Sofia  Coppola, R.E.M., front man Michael  Stripe and actress Chloe Sevigny.  These selections have led him to free  advertising for his lines, catching the  attention of people around the world.  This success then led him to his  establishment of boutiques bearing  his name, outwardly making Marc  Jacobs' image relentless.  

Jacobs' name brings in a variety of  spectators to his fashion shows,  whom all admire his remarkable originality. Some of his audience are  more well known than others and  may typically include celebrities such as, Kim Gordan and Vincent Gallo. Many of his collections make references to the style of earlier decades from the forties to the eighties. Speaking out against the claim made by the designer Oscar de la Renta, that Jacobs is a mere copyist, the New York Times Critic Guy Trebay has written “unlike the many brand-name designers who promote the illusion that their output  results from a single prodigious  creativity, Mr. Jacobs makes no  pretense that fashion emerges full  blown from the head of one solitary  genius.” Explaining his clothes,  Jacobs has said “what I prefer is that  even if someone feels hedonistic,  they don’t look it. Curiosity about sex  is much more interesting to me than  domination.…My clothes are not hot.  Never, Never.”  

In recent years, the Jacobs brand  has quadrupled with the company’s  collection Marc Jacobs and his less expensive secondary line, Marc by  Marc Jacobs, to global business, with  160 shops, in 19 countries. The assorted ready-to-wear and  accessory collections are also  broadly available at primary  department stores around the globe.

 As Marc Jacobs has proven to be  a world wide success in fashion,  he has also showed  determination in his personal well  being. If you were to take a closer  look into his personal life, you will  find he is at the top of his career  and his body. At the age of 45 he  has shown to be a strong and  powerful openly gay man. He has conquered the evil addiction of  drugs and alcohol in rehab and  has taken on a new and healthy  addiction, the gym. He now works  out at the gym for up to three  hours per day, keeping his body  at a youthful and muscular  condition. The once long haired  man with glasses is now  strapping and suntanned, looking  some what like a superhero.  Jacobs has been through some  rough patches with his personal  life, although some believe it has  brought him so much further in  terms of his ability to create. 

Young designers learn quickly  that it takes an incredible amount  of work to find success and Marc  Jacobs is a clear example. There  is no doubt he has earned his  fame in the fashion industry,  making his name as New York’s  homegrown fashion genius.  Jacobs is in a desirable position,  but it took many years for him to become a world class designer.  

To check out the latest in Jacobs'  melting pot mentality, you can  visit his site online and watch  videos from his latest fashion  shows. You can also find the Marc  Jacobs collection, including high  end accessories, apparel,  handbags and shoes at  Nordstrom. For more affordable  retro edgy fashions and  accessories, shop his Marc by  Marc Jacobs collection. Many  other stores carry the Marc  Jacobs line including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and  Barneys.