The Wonder of Marc Jacobs - Can Fashion Talk?

Marc Jacobs, the man who has given so much to the world of fashion, just keeps on giving. I was inspired to write this post after watch Marc Jacobs' brilliantly entertaining interview with Fern Mallis at Thursday's 'Fashion Icons lecture' at 92Y. He offered up his life on a platter, and gifted us with anecdote after anecdote of pure brilliance, and I sat, watched and breathed in every word. Jacobs has always been a great hero of mine since I can remember being interested in fashion (which was quite a long while ago!) His collections at Louis Vuitton never fail to make me swoon, and both of his own lines Marc Jacobs and in particular Marc by Marc Jacobs always offer collections of fashion which I in some way strongly identify with. I find it quite difficult to pin point or explicitly state exactly what it is about Marc Jacobs' clothing which I share such an affinity with. I rather loath the idea that it may be some sort of spiritual affinity, because I'm not particularly a believer in that sort of thing, but to shamefully exploit a popular cliche, his work just speaks to me!

Which poses my question, 'Can fashion talk?' As a student of literature I am constantly submerged in notions of literary technique such as metaphor or hyperbole and in particular personification. For those of you who may not know, this means, in its most basic form, the attributing of human characteristics to an inanimate object. When I claim that Marc Jacobs' fashion "speaks to me", I am essentially personifying it, and I feel perfectly justified doing so! If Keats can make Autumn and the sun "close bosom-friend[s]" and if Shakespeare can make piano keys into "dancing chips" then I can make fashion my very chatty friend who offers me boundless inspiration; and what better friend could you ask for? (perhaps a living one, but that is besides the point!)

Fashion, in my opinion can talk, its words are its materials, fabrics and colours, its voice is its aesthetic beauty and its message is the inspiration and the confidence is bequeaths its viewer or wearer. Just as we create friendships with like-minded people and people who speak to us, consequently forming our own friendship groups, we can do the same with fashion with which we have an affinity, ultimately creating our own style.

After substantial consideration of the matter, there are many reasons why, when Marc Jacob's fashion in particular speaks, it charms me. In his nature Marc Jacobs is fiercely individual, confident and is not afraid to say 'fuck you' to anyone or thing which may attempt to restrict him, and on many occasion has. It is this carefree, self-assured and fearless nature which translates so thoroughly and completely into his work. It is this message which so boldly speaks to me.

I am a fiercely proud 90's kid, and there is no doubt that one of the most ground breaking collections of the 90's was Marc Jacobs' Grunge Collection for Perry Ellis, capturing the tone and the free-spirited nature of the decade perfectly. To bring us to a more recent times, the addition of the Marc by Marc Jacobs line to Jacobs arsenal, only made his message scream in my head all the more loudly. And this SS13 collection of ethic layering, bold clashing of ditsy prints and 80s inspired conspiracy encapsulated Jacobs' affinity with reinventing and rejuvenating the past. This together with his Marc Jacobs line created a not too unexpected bang. The Marc Jacobs collection was a myriad of monochrome in the heat of the summer sun; it was a bold expression of individualism for summer fashion, yet in true Marc Jacobs style, it catered to everyone and by all means anyone who could hear its message, which I can imagine in English would sound something like "Here I am, wear me effortlessly; no compromise". It is not only Marc Jacob's fashion which speaks to me; every day I am surrounded by the more noisy and universal of Jacobs' messages, his perfume, more specifically the exquisite Daisy. It is a scent which I have adopted as if it were my own, and quite frankly I never want to let it go!

These are just some of the ways in which I converse with Marc Jacobs' work, but trust me when I say that the affinity is endless. As long as Marc Jacobs' keeps giving and speaking to the fashion world, I will keep listening.

In the spirit of Marc, I have compiled some looks inspired by his work, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I loved experimenting with them [Warning: not amazing quality, due to being the morning before an exam!]

Grunge Collection of '93

Jumper, Shirt and Skirt - All Topshop

Marc Jacobs SS13

Skirt (really a vest), Bandeau, T-Shirt and Headscarf - All Primark
And a Newcastle United football jersey

SS13 Marc by Marc Jacobs

Both Scarves and Shirt - eBay
Dress - Topshop

Tune in next Sunday for another feature post!

xx