Marc Jacobs summer 2025: An ode to creativity without boundaries

07/02/2025
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs

At a time when fashion seems obsessed with basics and safe classics, Marc Jacobs goes against the grain, presenting a collection defined by exaggerated proportions, unusual shapes, and a spirit of boldness. Titled "Courage," the designer's Summer 2025 collection was unveiled at the New York Public Library on the evening of February 3, unofficially opening the city's fashion week.

With a short, five-minute show, Jacobs revisited elements from his previous seasons while paying tribute to great names who influence his work, such as Rei Kawakubo, Miuccia Prada, and Rick Owens. The collection challenges established norms and encourages reflection on creative freedom in times of conservatism and fashion massification.

The past as raw material

Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs

For Summer 2025, Marc Jacobs drew references from his past runway shows, reinventing familiar elements from his repertoire. Among the influences are:

  • Silhouettes detached from the body, inspired by Summer 2024, with volumes reminiscent of doll clothing.
  • 1950s and 1960s shapes, explored in Winter 2024.
  • Historical attire from the Victorian, Edwardian, and 18th-century eras, previously featured in Summer 2023 as a tribute to Vivienne Westwood.
  • Ties and asymmetrical constructions, revisited from Winter 2022.

This time, however, everything was taken to the extreme: volumes were expanded, seams and darts were shifted, and fittings were reimagined to create an even stronger visual impact.

Fear as a creative fuel

Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs

The collection's name, "Courage," carries a deep meaning for the designer. In the text accompanying the show, Marc Jacobs shared an essential thought:

"I've come to understand that fear is not my enemy. It is a necessary companion to creativity, authenticity, integrity, and life."

The designer, with a career spanning over 40 years in fashion, is well aware of the challenges of staying relevant in an ever-evolving industry. In the current context, where fashion often clings to safe formulas, Jacobs challenges the ordinary and proposes a dream free of constraints.

Fashion as activism against conservatism

Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs' runway show can also be seen as a response to the political and social moment in the United States. In the face of the rise of conservative rhetoric and policies that threaten individual freedom, the designer makes a point of affirming his creative identity.

Throughout history, Jacobs has always celebrated eccentricity, irreverence, and freedom of expression. His collection can be interpreted as a cry of resistance against conformity and the impositions of an increasingly polarized society.

The economic impact and future of the brand

Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs

The Summer 2025 presentation comes at a delicate moment for the LVMH group, owner of the Marc Jacobs brand. In 2024, the luxury giant faced a slowdown in sales, leading to a more conservative strategy, focused on price increases and offering classic products and best-sellers.

Marc Jacobs, however, seems unwilling to succumb to this trend. His new collection reinforces the importance of fashion as a form of art and expression, going beyond a mere consumption tool.

The designer himself defines his philosophy clearly:

"With precious freedom, we dream and imagine without limitations, daring to be vulnerable in the face of criticism and failure, not to escape reality, but to help navigate it, understand it, and confront it – exploring through curiosity, conviction, compassion, and love."

In this context, Marc Jacobs' Summer 2025 collection stands out as a creative manifesto, reaffirming the power of fashion as a means of questioning, provoking, and transforming.



Watch the show