A new era for Marc Jacobs is beginning to take shape, and it starts with beauty. In an interview with WWD, the American designer explains the next steps for his eponymous brand, which has just joined the ranks of WHP Global and G-III Apparel Group after being acquired for $850 million (approximately €731 million) from luxury giant LVMH.
The (re)launch of Marc Jacobs Beauty
The designer is ready to (re)launch Marc Jacobs Beauty in collaboration with Coty Inc., which already holds the licenses for many of the brand’s fragrances, from “Daisy” to “Perfect.” His first foray into the beauty world dates back to 2013 with Kendo Brands, but the line was subsequently shut down in 2021. "I met Yehuda Shmidman (founder, chairman, and CEO of WHP, ed.) a few months ago and found him to be truly very kind. I enjoyed meeting him and talking with him, and he seemed to have a real and sincere love and interest in this company," explained the creative director. "He bought a bottle of 'Daisy' and the day before, he had watched the documentary 'Marc by Sofia'. I had a very good feeling during that first meeting, and that positive feeling has lasted. There are no guarantees in life, but I feel that my instinct is generally quite reliable."
New ambitions for fashion and ready-to-wear
Marc Jacobs also discusses developments in the fashion world: "Whether it’s Marc Jacobs or Marc by Marc Jacobs, or any other version—we have undeniably proven that we can be, and that we love to be, a major player in this fashion sector, something we haven’t managed to do since the days of Marc by Marc,” referring to the premium segment where Marc by Marc Jacobs was a wildly successful player before its unexpected closure in 2015. "It’s a new world, a new era, and there’s no need to look back to move forward. But I feel that they know this field very well, and I don’t. So, moving forward with them may give our company the opportunity to grow in sectors where we know we can succeed, and they are clearly convinced that we can make it happen."
Maintaining standalone fashion shows
For several years now, the designer has chosen to organize fashion shows in New York that are separate from the official Fashion Week calendar and go against the "see now, buy now" format. On this subject, Yehuda Shmidman seems unwilling to make any changes, maintaining the runway collection, which is priced significantly higher than the rest of the brand’s offerings. "He told me, 'We love this part of the business and we believe in it.' So, part of my confidence in all of this comes from the fact that, without even having to convince him, he was certain he wanted to keep this part of the business, and he wanted me to continue as creative director."
Makeup as a tool for boundless expression
Marc Jacobs Beauty will debut on marcjacobs.com on May 28, followed by an exclusive launch on the Sephora app on May 31, and will be available on sephora.com in the U.S. and Canada, as well as on selfridges.com starting June 1. The brand will then arrive in Sephora stores in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia starting September 1. In the U.S., prices will range from $26 to $42. "I love working on projects that involve a process, and it’s through that process that you discover the story you want to tell. I love makeup as an accessory. I love diving into the world of tutorials, watching all these different makeup artists and enthusiasts, seeing how they use makeup to express themselves. I love being part of a creative process that I can understand, and there’s a real parallel with fashion,” says Jacobs, who doesn’t have a specific target demographic in mind.
"Whether you ask me about clothing or makeup, I’ll give you the same answer: I’ve never understood these questions about target demographics. I don’t think that if you asked the teams at Chanel whether they intend to dress a 63-year-old man, that would be their stated goal; yet I am one of their loyal customers. I know more mature people who are very experimental with makeup, and I know young people who are very conservative. That’s why I’m always reluctant to say it’s for a certain age group or a certain person, because I’d like to believe we’ve all moved past that debate, and that it’s no longer about boys or girls, men or women, or them. It’s just makeup—it has no gender, no age. It’s makeup. Enjoy it if you feel like it. Period."