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Marc Jacobs (born April 9, 1963 in New York City) is an American fashion designer. He attended the High School of Art and Design and graduated in 1981. From there, Jacobs entered the Parsons School of Design in New York City. At Parsons, Jacobs won the Perry Ellis Gold Thimble Award in 1984, and in the same year was also awarded the Chester Weinberg Gold Thimble Award and the Design Student of the Year Award.
While still at Parsons, Jacobs designed and sold his first line of hand knit sweaters. His first collection that he designed was for Reuben Thomas, Inc. under the Sketchbook label. At this time in 1984, Jacobs formed his partnership with Robert Duffy, Jacobs Duffy Designs Inc., which continues to this day. In 1986, backed by Kashiyama USA, Inc., Jacobs designed his first collection bearing the Marc Jacobs label. In 1987, Jacobs received the distinct honor of being the youngest designer to be awarded the fashion industries highest tribute: The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent.
Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy joined Perry Ellis in 1989. Robert as the President and Marc as the Vice-President of women's design to create the designer collection and in addition, he oversaw the design of the various women's licensees. In 1992, The Council of Fashion Designers of America, once again bestowed Jacobs with a great honor: The Women's Designer of the Year Award.
Following his studies at the Parsons School of Design, he became prominent on the fashion scene when he designed a "grunge" collection for Perry Ellis, leading to his immediate dismissal. Jacobs is currently the artistic director for Louis Vuitton, a position he assumed in 1997. At Vuitton Jacobs has spearheaded such notable collaborations as Stephen Sprouse's graffiti bags, Takashi Murakami's pastel-colored accessories, and the first ready-to-wear line marketed under the Louis Vuitton imprimateur (designed by Jacobs). His own clothing lines, Marc Jacobs and the less expensive diffusion line Marc By Marc Jacobs, are also extremely popular.
Marc Jacobs has been known to design under his own free will without following trends. In Spring 2004/2005, when designers were following the "safari theme'", Marc Jacobs made his collection completely lady-like and the catwalk which the models walked on had an archway of 450,000 roses. Jacobs Fall 2005 collection received sharply mixed reviews. In 2006, he is set to bring out a watch collection this year under the brand of Marc Jacobs. These watches will feature classic and timeless aesthetics with a slightly vintage feel. His clothes are available in many countries around the world.
Personal facts
Marc Jacobs is Jewish and openly gay.
At Marc Jacob's Spring 2006 New York Fashion Week show, the Penn State marching band opened the show with a throbbing rendition of Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', allowing the audience to enjoy a moment of high-school nostalgia.
He is very good friends with the likes of Sofia Coppola, Selma Blair and Jessica Stam, and has been known to name his signature Marc Jacobs bags after these and other famous friends.
Celebrities such as Lil Kim, Lindsay Lohan and Mary Kate Olsen are often seen wearing his clothes.
Jacobs recently ended his relationship with Jason Preston, a 25 year-old former male escort. Thanks to regular coverage from the Page Six gossip section of the New York Post, the previously unknown Preston became a minor celebrity because of his frequent clubbing and obsessive devotion to the designer, which included having his body inscribed with a tattoo of Jacobs' name. The demise of the relationship was attributed to these behaviors and an eighteen year age difference.
External links
American fashion designers | Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people | People from New York City | 1963 births | Living people | LVMH brands
"Marc Jacobs"