
âHappy days are here again. The skies above are clear again. So letâs sing a song of cheer again. Happy days are here again.â
The aura of Marc Jacobsâs Fall/Winter 2014 show was a bit haunting, as Jessica Lange ominously recited the aforementioned lyrics from the 1929 singleâwhich is best associated with the end of the Great Depression and the repeal of prohibitionâon repeat. It sounded like a cult-line mantraââthe kind of thing you might hear at a spa,â Jacobs said. And the audience was sucked in.
The Milton Ager and Jack Yellow song signified the end of a dark era in American history...and the start of something new. For Jacobs, the message was personal. And this collection, his first since departing his position as artistic director of Louis Vuitton, was a blank canvas for the next Marc Jacobs generation.
Models entered the lengthy runway emotionless and robotic, sporting a series of pieces in soft pastelsâpinks and peaches, and neutralsâbrown, grey, and whiteâwhich were most prominently used in the collection. The dresses were mostly lanky, a-line frocks with deep necklines; bomber jackets adorned with fur were paired with tailored trousers and completely sheer tops; and Jacobsâs famous pajama dressing took form in a brown onesie that resembled a pair of long-johns.
Langeâs words may have been haunting, but underneath the soft clouds above, they were, in a strange way, soothing. The clothes, in their light colors, plush fabrics, and soft cuts, evoked that same level of comfort.
With bleached eyebrows and a light-pink tinted blunt bobâclose to that of Jane Jetsonâmodels sported a futuristic look. Even 18-year-old reality star Kendall Jennerâwho made her runway debut as a Marc Jacobs exclusiveâwas practically unrecognizable as she paraded down the catwalk.
"I just recently turned 18, so this [Marc Jacobs show] is my big kick-off to start and grow my career,â Jenner told Into the Gloss. âThe New York fashion scene is crazy, madness, but I love the energy. I love everything about itâlike the hair and makeup today, itâs incredible. Iâve never had my eyebrows bleached; I donât even look like myself!And that was the point. Jacobs wanted his audience to let go of their inhibitions. The designer said he was inspired by women like Lange, âwho have a sort of strength without any aggressivity â and without it being a discussion about youth.â Clothes donât need to be aggressive. Clothes donât need to be a commentary on age or race or gender. They can bring serenity. And in Jacobsâs spaâalbeit a strange and futuristic oneâthe audience found peace.