Was it only a week ago that Nemo threatened to ruin Fashion Week and Marc Jacobs moved his usual Monday night show to Thursday evening? After over 200 collections in just seven days, a little bleariness is understandable. But Jacobs lifted his audience’s exhaustion and supplied a fitting goodbye to New York Fashion Week with a true performance.
The show was staged in a theater-in-the-round designed by Stefan Beckman, with seating around a giant, poured concrete circle on concentric risers, ensuring a great view for all. Golden models emerged below an imposing, 30-foot light sculpture that looked like a giant sun about to set and cast a flat, yellow light that rendered everything monochrome. Frederic Sanchez’s music gave the procession a serious, almost monastic feel, as if the cool, Warholian ghost-girls from last season had overdosed and were on their way to heaven. Think Olafur Eliasson* meets the lost reel of a Fellini film.
The stoles, which looked like real animals, were cause for some murmuring, but they also had too-cute-to-be-real faces and ears. Were they actual animals? Partially animals? Several models carried them in their right hands. The “pants” were so short that the overwhelming impression the first time the models walked was: LEGS! There were quite a few elegant coats to choose from, both long and cropped. Look 21, described on the cheekily vague show notes as “pant, glove, shoe,” featured high-waisted short-shorts and a gloved arm the model held over her naked torso. Naturally, everybody instagrammed/vined that one immediately. After four minutes in the yellow glow, the music changed and the lights intensified slightly to reveal shiny, muted jewel tones in the low-backed dresses, sparkling coats and fluffy furs. The models walked a second time with the same steady, intense confidence.
In a season dominated by somber tones, obscene amounts of fur, and enough leather to endanger the bovine species, this collection had the final word. Everything had a sheen and polish, but still maintained that cool quirk that Jacobs is famous for.
*This post has been updated with the name of the artist.