It s always a challenge to pull out the theme from a Marc by Marc Jacobs show, what with all the layers and the mad piles of accessories. But if you had to peg his collection of shirtdresses, corduroy pantsuits, and color-blocked coats and jackets—much of it decorated in shiny gold buttons and hardware—to something, it could easily be Pan Am stewardesses, by way of Mary Tyler Moore. OK, that s two things. See? Put simply, the show was studiously retro, from the air-hostess hats right down to the two-tone patent-leather loafers.
The thing that saved it from seeming like a trip to Screaming Mimi s was the way Jacobs integrated elements of his signature collection, shown the previous evening. Those deconstructed suits and evening dresses with superfluous appendages were translated here into, say, a trench with an extra front panel in a contrasting color, or a jersey-knit dress with one long sleeve and the other not only short but also in a clashing quilted-cotton fabric. All that is not to say there weren t plenty of pieces you could actually see yourself wearing, like an olive cotton-drill shirtdress or a polka-dot dress with voluminous skirts. Then there were the groovy accessories: The Lego belt buckles were a clever idea, but it s the patent lady bags and square clutches that will make the bucks.
