“She’s a genius,” said Marc backstage referring to his idol Diana Vreeland, as the Kronos Quartet’s soundtrack “Meltdown”came to a crescendo. The designer said he couldn’t help but revere the subject of his inspiration and her view of fashion. “I learned a lot from that lady he said. She was the smartest woman in this whole business.” So when it came to designing the set for his show Jacobs tapped fellow visionary and master stage designer Stefan Beckman to recreate Jeremiah Goodman’s painting “Garden in Hell,” a depiction of Mrs. Vreeland’s living room painted in blood red.
Beckman exploded the proportions of the set in red to the full length of the Park Avenue Armory in on both side of the walls with a charcoal gray backdrop from which the models emerged. It took Beckman and his team over 100 hours to recreate the painting on hand painted canvas to cover the massive space.
Upon arrival it was obvious everything had an opulent arch of perfection. The atmosphere hung with an air of grandeur, and drinks served on the rocks were encouraged. EVERYTHING was regimented, from the soundtrack of the show to the severe top knots on each models head, to the pristine manicure and pedicures the models were subjected to. Never mind that they were all wearing gloves and closed-toe shoes.
As the looks appeared on the runway the intricacy of the fabrics and the many textured layers of each ensemble appeared to heighten and intensify with the music. Each look became more complex, and more dramatic than the last. Rich brocade jackets topped flared crinoline skirts trimmed in fur. Shearling was shorn into checked patterns and mink was sewn into chevron stripes and worn on the reverse side. The luxurious garments with imposing shoulders and neat wasp waists were embroidered, grommeted and delicately jeweled. Sequins were applied to tweed, argyle and heathered wool woven in a faux-python pattern and finished with plush fur collars. Like a beautiful work of art Jacobs gave us what we never knew we wanted, extraordinary clothes that are as precious, as they are useful.
