At Balthazar, over two double chicken paillards (mine with a side of mash), Anna handed me a large envelope.
I opened it as she explained, “I would like you to be the guest editor of our December issue.” Wow!
Inside the envelope were spreads that Anna had mocked up, with me in mind, of what December could look like. Instantaneously that awful voice in my head, my inner saboteur said, “You can’t do this, what do you know about putting together a magazine?” Oh, shut up!
With a weekend to think it over, I came to the conclusion that I would only regret not doing this.
Cut to my first meeting at the Vogue offices. “We want you to go for it!” Anna told me. “What would you like to say with your issue? Who would you like to be on the cover? What can the Vogue team do to help you?”
In some ways I imagined the process would be like putting together a collection—let’s just make a start, see where we go, and have faith that more will reveal itself and unfold along the journey. The infamous blank page was staring me in the face.
Working with my longtime collaborator Alastair McKimm and Vogue’s global creative director, Raúl Martinez, a friend of mine since our High School of Art and Design days (circa 1979), I made a start….
I knew I wanted Kaia on the cover—well, on two covers. One photographed by Steven Meisel and the other painted by the artist Anna Weyant.
(Actually, my first thought was to have Anna Wintour on the cover, but she flat-out refused. “Move on,” she insisted.)
Next, a possible theme for the issue? Story ideas? I wanted Dance! Fashion! Beauty! Unbridled, youthful energy (rave), community (voguing), movement (modern), passion (tango), and discipline (ballet). Inez Vinoodh would be perfect!
Impossible beauty; the inexplicable, irresistible, far-less-than-practical joy of exaggerated and artful nails, lashes, heels; and the truly natural, exquisite beauty of flowers.
Last, in the most magical twist of fate, Gregory Crewdson (and a film crew of 40 people) photographed me at my home. His image, one for the ages, captured me in the perfect moment of vulnerability and overwhelming gratitude.
Oh, and Carl, the Brussels griffon wearing a Chanel Haute Joaillerie bracelet-cum-choker for the Last Look.
Thank you, Vogue, for this unforgettable opportunity, and now it’s time for you to please get to work on my next collection.
Love, Marc.
EDITOR’S NOTE: And now…go behind the scenes at Vogue and watch how the December issue—guest edited by Marc Jacobs—came together. The below video takes you the whole project, from start to finish.
For Anna: hair, Andreas Anastasis; makeup, Melissa Silver. For Marc: hair, Sandy Hullett; makeup, Eduardo Jiménez.