Marc Jacobs Sees Us All as Paper Dolls

Brooke Frischer

February 3, 2024 at 12:19 AM·5 min read

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Whether he's putting on a three-minute runway show, transporting audiences to a post-apocalyptic beach or changing the landscape of the fashion industry with a single collection, Marc Jacobs has always been a master statement-maker. Over the years, one of his favorite ways to grab attention has been with oversized, voluminous versions of everyday silhouettes (see: Fall 2022's humungous knit sweaters and Fall 2018's dramatically wide silhouettes). For his first runway show of 2024 — marking his namesake brand's 40th anniversary — Jacobs re-interpreted his preference for oversized tailoring not through the lens of human clothing-wearers, but, seemingly, of paper dolls.

In a bright, vacant Park Avenue Armory on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on Friday evening, models with oversized, cartoon-like hair and eyelashes shuffled their way down the runway — arms stiff, knees locked and faces blank.

The first model wore a top with straps slightly too long and a skirt with a gaping waistband, followed by a model in knee-length trousers with a pinned fly. Several looks like this are remindful of paper dolls, or the experience of dressing a 3-D doll in an outfit that didn't originally come in their box and therefore didn't properly fit — an ever-annoying dilemma for any former pretend-player.

The show's hair and makeup further illustrated a doll-like world, with extra-long faux eyelashes and towering wigs inspired by The Supremes. The makeup artist behind the looks, Diane Kendal, told Vogue, "At first we were doing single lashes, then we doubled them up."

As the show progressed, it became clear that the audience was being presented with a full wardrobe with outfits fit for any occasion a doll (or person) might encounter. Jacobs' doll presumably starts her day at work, wearing either a plaid long-sleeve collared dress or some version of a skirt-and-jacket suit, accompanied by an oversized re-edition of the early-2000s Venetia bag — large enough to carry all her daily necessities — and a two-dimensional jewel-shaped brooch.

When she gets home, her pants come off first (relatable) and she's left only with her coat and shoes to remove. Once she's put away her work attire, it's time to put on a sweatsuit — complete with suede platform heels that look to be a play on the platform slippers beloved by "It" girls everywhere.

Marc Jacobs 2024. Photo: Courtesy of Marc Jacobs

If basic loungewear isn't your doll's thing, Jacobs offers a bedazzled version via Heaven, the designer's Gen Z-marketed, trend-driven sub-label — marking its runway debut. Velour zip-up hoodies and matching underwear check off the Y2K box, with crystal embellishments taking the shape of the brand's two-headed bear logo and spelling out "Heaven by Marc Jacobs" on the sweatshirt's back.

The designer revisited Fall 2022's overflowing knitwear, taking it down just a few notches, leaving the volume mostly in the sleeves — just casual enough for a laid-back afternoon coffee date.

Once the evening rolls around, Jacobs's doll is ready for a night on the town. Glitzy multi-colored jewels are embroidered throughout long gowns, gold three-dimensional jacquard mini dresses, clutches four times the size of a typical bag and clown-like oxford shoes with plenty of extra toe space. Silver, rose and gold floor-length gowns complete the night with oversized pailettes, each catching the reflection of every light in their presence.

In a crisp, white, branded folder, Jacobs' show notes briefly sum up the playfully hyperbolized collection: "By examining the memorable and the mundane, we abstract and exaggerate with a disorienting familiarity in our desire to express something naïve and elegant."

See all the looks from the Marc Jacobs 2024 runway show below.