“It’s a fallen angel kind of beauty. But still an angel”, says Marc Jacobs of his new Fall 2019 collection.
Saying nobody’s perfect may be terribly clichéed, but it’s one of the truest adages. This latest collection from the American designer is a statement of beauty in unique imperfections. The smaller, more intimate collection consists of 40 looks (as opposed to his usual 60) that are each vastly different from one another and carefully crafted to bring out the wearer’s individual character. Altogether, Marc Jacobs’ Fall 2019 is a visually lyrical way of saying that people can be different, imperfect, and yet still all beautiful.
[All images courtesy of Marc Jacobs.]
Of the 40 looks, 19 were flown into Bangkok from New York last week for an exclusive preview. The key looks were available for viewing in the airy Glass House at Nai Lert Park. The space was transformed into a starkly bare room with matte black walls and floors. Just like the runway show earlier in February where makeup was minimal and the floor was black glass: all focus was on the clothes.
With this spotlight on the looks alone, there’s also a sense of loneliness that comes with Marc Jacobs’ collection. We’re also being reminded of the flipside to being a fallen angel – this is a lonely kind of beauty.
The first look to be presented is memorable and definitive. The oversized leopard print alpaca coat is an introduction to Marc Jacobs’ attachment to A-lines and the trapeze silhouette this season (quite perfect for outlining a pair of dropped angel wings, right?)
The cape silhouette continues throughout the next few looks. The counter-balancing between the heavy and light is a key theme for the collection. The angelic delicateness of lightweight silks, organzas, and floaty feathers are weighed down with hardcore wool coats and wide base silhouettes.
The heavy coats each make strong statement pieces, of course. But the real beauty of the looks is in their complicated characters, with heavy-duty coats layered over chine floral blouses and men’s soft tartan trousers.
Indeed, the fabrics and textures are incredibly varied – and illusory too. A stunning yellow ballgown stands alone, shining in the light like latex; but upon touch, we find that it’s a luxurious kind of woven silk.
We also smile at the recurring headpieces perched on top of the looks – black wool beanies topped with unique feathers add a whimsical twist to each dramatic outfit. Stephen Jones, Marc Jacobs’ trusted mad-hatter, seems to be giving a subtle nod to the admirable rebel Robin Hood while also celebrating the grunge-meets-glamour side to American culture.
In the middle of the visual feast we get a sort of palette cleanser. The looks become simpler, dealing with single colours and textures. There’s an uncomplicated black wool dress with an exaggerated v-neck and ruffled sleeves. Eveningwear is also elegantly simple, such as the luxurious emerald green silk jersey gown that shimmers with scattered Swarovski crystals.
After this, the couture extravaganza is taken up a few notches. Playing even more with exaggerated volume and mixed materials, the looks feature feathery necklines in leopard print and organza floral embroidery.
Here is Marc Jacobs at his fullest couture mentality. “The goal was to preserve quality, skill, and craftsmanship in an era of printed T-shirts and hoodies”, says the designer. And indeed, we can feel artisan skill powering every thread of this collection. Dissected organza has been hand-sewn onto dresses to create the blooming botanical effects. The technique is most impressively used on the voluminous polka-dot statement dress.
The finishing looks make a extravagant feathery fantasia – truly as if a collective of angels were falling through the runway. The thousands of feathers took a period of over 84 hours to hand embroider. For the closing look, we have the organza feathers mixed with real feathers and beading, an amalgamation of textures that is a burst of complex beauty.
Marc Jacobs approaches this Fall with a different take on falling. To fall is to be human, and that in itself is a beautiful thing. Never one to have his aesthetic pinned down, Marc Jacobs and his love for difference and individuality makes a brilliant case for the imperfect fallen angels in us all.
Explore more of Marc Jacobs: www.marcjacobs.com