The name Marc Jacobs has become recognizable to women of almost every age. The designer has become the go-to for anyone who is interested in fashion. But how can one man’s innovative vision appeal to both a 13-year-old girl and a 55-year-old woman?
Take a walk around any college campus in the country and there will be hundreds of girls wearing the classic Marc-by-Marc Jacobs sling on their way to grab a coffee with friends. Glance down at a classmate’s oversized watch, which has become as essential in a wardrobe as an LBD, and take a closer look at the gold face, which will inevitably read Marc-by-Marc Jacobs. Look at the back of half the iPhones on the train and the brightly colored cases will scream Marc Jacobs. All of these accessories have become absolute must-haves for women who are interested in fashion.
Jill Roth, a senior at the University of Wisconsin Madison, has fallen under the designer’s spell along with the rest of her friends.
“I have had something from Marc Jacobs on my Christmas list every year for the past five years,” said Roth as she put her iPhone on the table face down, revealing a bright red and blue Marc-by-Marc Jacobs case. “Oh God, that’s obnoxious,” said Roth as she realized both her phone and bag are from the designer.
Women of Chicago are even more interested in the brand as his products are more accessible in the city, compared to Madison, Wis.
“There is really only one place in Madison to buy anything from Marc Jacobs,” said UW Madison senior, Scarlett Angelina. “But when I go back home to Chicago I can find Marc Jacobs anywhere.”
Jacobs has two stores located in Chicago but his merchandise can also be found at any of the major department stores like Nordstrom, Macy’s, Barneys, Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus.
“I love that I can run into Nordstrom after class if I want to pick up a new bag,” said DePaul junior, Savanna Milasuski. “I love it, but my wallet hates it. I’m way too addicted to Marc Jacobs.”
The store, Marc-by-Marc Jacobs, is in Bucktown and tends to appeal to the younger, college age ladies, as the prices are more affordable than the designer’s couture line.
The designer’s second store entitled simply, Marc Jacobs, is located in the Gold Coast surrounded by stores like Hermes, Barneys and Prada. The Marc Jacobs line is targeted to a more sophisticated audience and the clothes have the hefty price tag to prove it. (A Marc Jacobs bag can cost you around $2,000)
“All of my Marc pieces are from Marc by Marc Jacobs because those are the prices that I can afford,” said Roth.
Marc-by-Marc Jacobs phone cases rage from $35-$40 and the designer is constantly coming out with new patterns to wrap around your phone. Some of the more expensive pieces from Marc-by-Marc Jacobs include leather jackets that retail for around $1,000 or the designer’s large tote bags that come in around $700 or $800.
Marc-by-Marc Jacobs makes everything from clothing and shoes to iPhone and iPad cases, all of which showcase the designer’s fun and quirky vibe. Jacobs, who has multiple tattoos, including one of Sponge Bob Square Pants, uses his brand as an expression of himself. While some of his handbags or phone cases can be recognized by the abstract mash up of the letters in his name, his labels do not have their own monogram like the iconic “LV” for Louis Vuitton, or “CC” logo for Chanel. Marc Jacobs earns his recognition by putting a twist on each of his pieces, whether its done through taking a crazy print and making it into a structured jacket or using similar color pallets from season to season, fashion forward women can recognize a Marc Jacobs product from a mile away.
While most designers only have one line to concentrate on, Jacobs has not two but three. Since 1997 Jacobs has also been the Creative Director for Louis Vuitton.
“I think of Louis Vuitton as timeless and classic, whereas Marc by Marc seems more fun and trendy,” said Milasuski.
While the majority of the public may not realize the designer of Marc Jacobs is the same designer behind Louis Vuitton, his work does show some similarities. Jacobs has continued to maintain Louis Vuitton’s image as one of the most luxurious brands in the world, while still being able to put a personal stamp on the collections. For example the ‘cherry’ collection from Louis Vuitton that was so popular in the early 2000s shows a major similarity to the quirky prints used in the Marc-by-Marc Jacobs accessory line. These similarities in the designer’s collections shows that regardless of which brand he is representing he will stay true to his design aesthetic.
“I didn’t know that Marc Jacobs designed for Louis Vuitton,” said Depaul junior, Monique Filardi. “But now that I think about it I can totally see some of Marc Jacobs ideas being used in Louis Vuitton.”
Today, Jacobs is 50 years old and is living in Paris where he and his team continue to dress millions of women around the world in some of the most luxurious and cutting edge designs.
