Marc Jacobs on Pride, married life (and skin care)
'Accept me for who I am, how I am, what I am, who I love,' the New York fashion designer says
Marc Jacobs may have looked back on some of his greatest collections to create his new book, Marc Jacobs Illustrated with Grace Coddington, but he’s certainly not living in the past. This spring, as well as publishing the new book, he married his long-term boyfriend, and found time to launch a new skin care range with Youthquake, a gel-crème moisturiser.
They’ve all come along at just the right time, according to a new interview he did for Vogue magazine. “I love being married. I love saying ‘my husband’ or ‘my husband and I’, in that Queen Mother sort of way,” the designer told the magazine.
“Married life has been great. It gives me a sense of security and helps me to define what commitment means for me, and that’s been a beautiful thing.”
The skincare launch was something he had considered for sometime, before finally finding the right way to express it within his fashion brand. “We talked about the spirit of what skincare for Marc Jacobs would mean – that I wasn’t a dermatologist and this wasn’t a science lab,” Jacobs says. “This is just me talking about things I understand, like the refreshing, hydrating qualities of coconut or pineapple.”
He’s also marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots with a special lip lacquer Enamored (With Pride); 10 per cent of the proceeds from which will go to to S.A.G.E., an LGBTQ+ charity.
"Pride, it's not fitting in—it's belonging; that's to quote [the author and social work professor] Brené Brown. You accept me for who I am, how I am, what I am, who I love.”
And for Jacobs, that sense of place is both social, and aesthetic. “I wouldn’t want anyone making my aesthetic choices for me, or any of my choices for me. The rule is to express oneself and to do it for yourself, first and foremost,” he tells Vogue. “And enjoy it.”
To find out more about how Jacobs has expressed himself - and enjoyed himself - throughout his career, order a copy of Marc Jacobs Illustrated, a unique monograph of over 50 collections created by the fashion designer Marc Jacobs in the past 25 years and illustrated by Grace Coddington. Buy your copy here.