In Italian, ‘Ricostru’ means ‘reconstruction,’ but designer Rico Manchit Au was constructing an entirely new notion of designer Chinese fashion when she launched her label in 2011.
MARC JACOBS NYFW S/S18 READY-TO-WEAR
September 15, 2017 4:00 PM
"The future is uncertain and the end is always near" sang Jim Morrison in the song "Roadhouse Blues," and if there is any truth to the rumors that have been swirling all summer, this Doors' lyric from 1970 may ring true for Marc Jacobs in 2017. In the past two years, he's shuttered a handful of stores, discontinued his diffusion line, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and parted ways with his business partner Robert Duffy. In May, CEO Sebastian Suhl made his way to the exit. Nevertheless, Marc Jacobs has always been– and remains– a critical darling whose shows attract fashion A-Listers in droves. Cindy Crawford, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Courtney Love, Zosia Mamet, Anna Wintour and Emily Ratajkowski were all in attendance at Jacobs' Armory show last night. And the model casting reads like a roll-call for hot young things. Winnie Harlow, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Casil McArthur and Lexi Boling all walked the Marc Jacobs catwalk.
But Fashion Week isn't just about buzz, it's about the clothes, of course. On this front, Marc Jacobs devotees have absolutely no cause for disappointment. The designer and his team redirected all of their distress and uncertainty into the creation of a vibrant, richly-textured collection of gowns, suits, overcoats, swimwear and separates for Spring/Summer 2018. Using the Jacobs archives as a starting point, then riffing wildly off his past greatest hits, the design team composed a wardrobe fit for the wistful daydream of sunny skies ahead. Sure, the ubiquitous turbans and fanny sacks might not appeal to the fashion consumer at large, but Jacobs offeres plenty of options for those seeking both comfort and style without being too costumey. A white wool car coat with a fringy silver collar; rope-belted harem pants in luminous gun metal or cream; a utility jacket with oversized pockets and contrast stitching in brown or white; and a flowy black jumpsuit with a ruched white bodice all pass the wearability test.
For those unafraid to stand out from the crowd, an oversized, emergency-orange colored MC jacket; a pink and metallic embroidered car coat with a fluffy tutu collar; or a one-shouldered red jumpsuit covered in sunny yellow sequins are jaunty options for stepping out next spring. And to the lady who refuses to look like everyone else when she's walking a red carpet or attending a formal soirée, Jacobs offers an asymmetric pink down with a bowed collar; a peacock yellow sequined dress with cap sleeves; or a sheer toga with turquoise and brown psychedelic daisies.
Each season, only a handful of designers succeed in creating clothing that is both avant-garde and yet widely relevant. Even fewer can maintain that edge consistently for more than two decades. Those who fail to acknowledge Marc Jacobs as a preternatural force in fashion do so at their own peril. Remember what happened last time he got fired from a high-profile job? It was 25 years ago when his grunge-inspired looks got him sacked from Perry Ellis, but launched him into megastardom with his own eponymous line. The Marc Jacobs label might need some restructuring to be financially viable as a brand, but Marc Jacobs the designer is still at his zenith. His future may be uncertain, but the end remains resolutely out of sight.
WRITTEN BY KAREN FRAGALA-SMITH
PHOTO CREDIT: MARC JACOBS
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