Many of the people at fashion’s vanguard are themselves immune to trends of the moment, opting instead for a uniform. But with a career marked by change, designer and Vanity Fair cover star Marc Jacobs has long been an experimental and multifarious shopper and dresser. From his early years as a design student at Parsons to today, Jacobs has amassed an impressive collection of designer pieces—it’s one of his biggest passions. As at home in a fuchsia peacoat as he is in a vintage band tee, Jacobs has constantly adapted his style while navigating through the seasons of an extraordinary life and career.
When Jacobs was just starting out in fashion, he was recognized for his black ponytail and styled himself seriously in thick-framed glasses, button-downs, and khakis, a look he brought with him when he became the artistic director at Louis Vuitton in 1997. He emerged from a 2007 trip to rehab with a more muscular body and opted for kilts to show off his calves. A similarly body-forward choice was his memorable 2012 Met Gala look, a sheer black lace tunic dress by Comme des Garçons, which he wore with shoes from his own fashion house, ornamented with oversized, crystal-encrusted pilgrim buckles.
Though Jacobs hasn’t adhered to any one look for too long, he has had a few different “signature” elements over the years. He’s been a fan of Birkin bags and pieces by Karl Lagerfeld. For Met Gala looks and other formal occasions, he has turned to the tailor Ralph Fitzgerald for custom suits. During a stretch in the late 2010s and early 2020s, he was seen in Rick Owens’s signature platform boots in at least five different colors. In the same period, Jacobs was a devotee of Alessandro Michele’s Gucci. For a spell in the last few years, he became known for cartoonishly long nail extensions, lacquered and bejeweled. (He has since transitioned to a shorter, multicolored look.)
These days, he’s loving Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel and has been sporting the house’s signature jackets. (He and close friends Sofia Coppola and Anna Sui have matching black ones.) His current go-to look is an all-black, layered ensemble—a black T-shirt, hoodie, and multipocketed utility jacket, paired with black ballet flats and black socks. He’s also having fun with his hair, currently permed, which he pins back with silver salon clips when the mood strikes.
Jacobs’s bold and ever-changing style has cemented his status as a celebrity designer—he’s not a silent force working behind the scenes but a high fashion participant, a customer and a fan ready to support his peers in the industry.
Scroll through the gallery below for some of his most unforgettable looks.