Marc Jacobs is a very well known fashion figure, sometimes considered over the top and very controversial. He worked for a few fashion houses before starting his own brand. Let’s talk a little more in depth about his personal life and career. Also, I should let you know, Marc Jacobs is one of my favorite designers along with a few more, which I will make sure to write an article about as well.
He was born on the 9th of April 1963, in New Jersey. He had what you would call a rocky childhood, with his father dying and his mother starting living a life of power dating with a bunch of failed marriages after her husband died. After moving from New Jersey to Long Island and later to the Bronx, he moved in with his grandmother. They grew a really close relationship thanks to her love for aesthetically beautiful things and her encouraging and appreciative comments on his creative work. “No one ever said ‘no’ to me about anything,” he said. “No one ever told me anything was wrong. Never. No one ever said, ‘You can’t be a fashion designer.’ No one ever said, ‘You’re a boy and you can’t take tap-dancing lessons.’ No one ever said, ‘You’re a boy and you can’t have long hair.’ No one ever said, ‘You can’t go out at night because you’re 15 and 15-year-olds don’t go to nightclubs.’ No one said it was wrong to be gay or right to be straight.”
Even with all this freedom, at 15, he never strayed away from his studies at the High School of Design and Art. He used to work at an upscale boutique called Charivari after school where he met designer Perry Ellis who became his mentor. He was allowed to design sweaters for the shop by the boutique’s staff after finishing his tasks. This helped him secure a spot at the Parsons School of Design.
In 1984, he designed the Sketchbook label for the clothing manufacturer Reuben Thomas, Inc. That same year, with help from the company’s executive Robert Duffy, he launched his own line, Jacobs Duffy Designs Inc. Jacobs, which helped him secure enough financial backing to start his own label. He became the youngest designer to win the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent (1987)—one of the industry’s highest honours.
In 1993 he founded his namesake fashion house and after being signed as creative director for Louis Vuitton, he got the funding he needed to open his first of the many boutiques to come. He later stepped down from Louis Vuitton, in 2013, but his brand is still as strong as ever. He recently launched a new, more accessible line, called Heaven by Marc Jacobs. I highly suggest you check it out.
Hope you enjoyed, I know I haven’t posted in a while, I have been really busy, but I will make sure to upload as often as possible. Have a great day,
XOXO, Delayla
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