Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, Life Achievement Shmaward The Times took the opportunity during this beautiful moment in a beloved designer’s career to let people literally, utterly debase and trash talk him. So, maybe not so well loved? Read on for some of the highlights, er low lights from industry insiders and lowly fashion students who will hopefully not be able to find a job after school just for talking such smack on Marc Jacobs.
David Wolfe, Creative Director of the Doneger Group:
He has a knack for spinning a mystique. But does he have a consistent identity? Absolutely not.
Eric Gaskins, Blogger for The Emperors Old Clothes
“He feels to me less like a designer than a great producer or casting director…But at times, the overall message is pretty banal.
Tracy L. Cox, Designer and Hollywood Stylist:
“Hes not as cool as he used to be. Most of my friends who are fashion forward, thats not one of the brands they look to.
June Ambrose, Stylist:
His clothes are, “a little bit avant-garde for the untrained eye to understand. They are not necessarily red carpet, strike-your-pose pieces.”
Irma Zandl, Youth Marketing Consultant:
“We dont hear as much about Marc Jacobs as we did five or six years ago.”
Takishma Faison, 34, Student at the Fashion Institute of Technology:
“At one time, his style was very distinctive. It had a recognizable look.” Now though, his clothes are “kind of commercial, kind of watered down. They dont look ‘designer.’”
Jenna Polito, F.I.T. Design Student:
I feel like hes kind of all over the place.” He offers so many different styles, and when he takes inspiration from something, he takes it a little too far.”
Bonnie Pressman, a retail and fashion consultant and a former Barneys executive:
“There are a lot of designers who are just hipper, better priced and more trend-driven…Theyve really stepped up to offer more of what the consumer is wanting.”
To much of this Marc responds, People are always going to want newness in fashion, just like they want new pop stars. Maybe theres something Im missing. I dont know … What have they done to him? Stop torturing Marc Jacobs, New York Times. The guy is getting an award for killing it in fashion for an entire lifetime and this is how you’re repaying him? I mean… at least Andre Leon Talley said he still likes him.
Fashion is art people. Either you get it, or you don’t. Evidently these children pretending to be adults who were so quick to criticize a fashion icon don’t get it.
Marc Jacobs art is fabulous. Sure, every piece may not be a killer but every Van Gogh isn’t a Starry Night. You have to look at the collections as they have evolved over the years. Look at the designer as a whole and you get an eyefull of wonderful.