Park Avenue Armory, a historic building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, hosted the Marc Jacobs’ spring 2023 runway show. The New York designer paid tribute to British designer, Vivienne Westwood.
The MARC JACOBS Spring 2023 RTW collection was revealed a week before the official NYFW schedule. This was the first time the Maison has returned to physical fashion shows since it officially announced its digital-only runway shows in 2020.
Vivienne Westwood, worldwide known as the “godmother of punk”, was the inspiration for the Marc Jacobs “Heroes” collection. Jacobs wanted to tribute to the late British designer: her career as well as personal style. Unfortunately, she passed away in December 2022 at 81 years old.
Marc Jacobs opened his show with 45 looks as models walked the runway in low light, accompanied by American violin soloist Jennifer Koh. The cacophony of “Knee Play 2” from Philip Glass’ opera “Einstein on the Beach” echoed throughout the runway show.
On the runway, we can see models wearing high-heeled platform shoes, peroxide wigs, Kiki platform shoes, punk enthusiasm and more. There are also faded leggings or denim, canvas, leatherette, patchwork and pressed velvet, all reminiscent of the old punk movement.
For this Spring 2023 RTW collection, Jacobs presented fun, expressive and dramatic silhouettes in volume and structure and, of course, punk was the key element for all the looks. He also looked back to creations from his early career: spiked and dyed hairstyles. There were also oversized coats and draped dresses, while textured panels and crinkled velvet accentuated the punk aesthetic. Long quilted jackets, down jackets worn with skirts and knitwear, and ruffled evening dresses completed the Jacobs and Westwood aesthetic.
“With the arrival of a new season in our never-ending quest for value, significance and possibility, it is through these collections that we continue to expand our notions of beauty and craftsmanship,” Jacobs stated. “With controlled abandon and driving frenetic energy, we reflect on life beyond the studio.”
Guests, such as Sofia Coppola, Ashley Graham, Nicky Hilton and Emily Ratajkowski, as well as Debbie Haley, Debbie Mazar and Anna Sui Idols attended the brand’s front row.
Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2023 collection is a true homage to the late British designer. We can perfectly see Ms Westwood’s elegant and timeless style portrayed throughout the collection. Her contribution and profound influence on the fashion industry will always be remembered. Also, with Marc Jacobs’ latest tribute, there will be no shortage of young British designers recognizing Vivienne Westwood’s contributions on the industry.
Here are some of the most daring looks from the Marc Jacobs Spring 2023 RTW collection.
