10 February 2026 |
Titled “Memory. Loss”, it was a bittersweet dive into fashion history.
Talk about Marc Jacobs and inevitably his seminal spring 1993 collection for Perry Ellis will come up. Controversial at the time, it brought grunge to the forefront, establishing Jacobs as a designer unafraid to forge his own path, acceptance be damned. 33 years later, that runway still resonates and it serves as but one of the many sources of inspiration for the designer’s spring 2026 show. Titled “Memory. Loss”, it was a meditation on the passage of time and the way said memories shape our sense of self as well as current and future decision making. More approachable than his last few outings, where the designer dabbled in avant-garde shapes, it was a return to what Jacobs does best — feminine clothes with a sense of whimsy, yet still grounded in reality.
Held at the Park Avenue Armory on the Monday before New York fashion week, the presentation served as the unofficial kickoff to a brisk seven day stretch packed with shows. And similarly, the collection was equally as brisk as 39 looks marched down at precisely 7:30 pm, ending just four-ish minutes later. Set to Björk’s Jóga, Jacobs drew from a variety of influences to inform his looks. And lest you think he was going to not cite his inspirations, the show notes proved contrary. He came with credits and receipts, literally rattling down a list of designers that informed his process. On the list? Yves Saint Laurent couture 1965, X-Girl 1994, Helmut Lang fall 1995, and Prada spring 1996. His own Perry Ellis collection was also acknowledged as were a slew of Jacobs’ collections from fall 1995 to spring 1998 to spring 2013. Even Marc by Marc (spring 2003) and Marc by Sophia made appearances, as did Ellen, a small Lower East Side vintage shop.
Given the extensive annotations, the collection was not mired in the past. Opening with a somber gray sweater tucked into a sculptural pencil skirt worn with knee high boots, it was a nod to 90s minimalism that felt equally as relevant today. A zip up jacket with a low waisted skirt on Alex Cosani nodded to modern trends, yet felt as if they were the perfect lovechild between Marc and Miuccia. From there grungy plaids rendered into matching sets gave the motif a grown up urgency — you could imagine the Gen X woman and her Gen Z daughter sharing these pieces happily.
Midway through, the tone shifted to nighttime minidresses and a sparkling tube top worn with a slim, sculptural skirt, a reminder that Jacobs loves color and fun. That same gilded joy could also be seen in the beaded ruffled shirts tucked into sheer bottoms, sure to be a red carpet favorite for his famous fans. To bring the collection full circle, Jacobs ended with stiff satin shirting with matching skirts in pastel pink and blue. Grown up? Yes. Wearable? Absolutely. Boring? Anything but. What a way to start New York fashion week on a happy note.
