Marc by Marc Jacobs

NEW YORK, February 5, 2008
By Nicole Phelps
Marc by Marc Jacobs usually follows the designer's main show by about 18 hours. But with his signature collection scheduled for the last day of New York fashion week, looking at his diffusion line this season felt a bit like reading tea leaves. Does the eighties-ish new-wave vibe of the clothes on today's runway in any way predict what we'll see come Friday?

A blue tweed shift with a stand-up collar and a drop waist, accessorized to the hilt with shades, beret, and checked bag, kicked things off. Following that, Jacobs showed a few pairs of pants, slouchy and full through the upper legs. But this was a girly collection, long on dresses and skirts. The former came in podlike shapes (a supersized green and black houndstooth) or nipped at the waist above flaring hoop skirts (a witty fishnet print), while the latter appeared as bubbles, cheerleader minis, and lamp shades. Also in the mix was some great outerwear—everything from a belted, boxy man's single-breasted jacket to a black trapeze coat with a checkerboard of patent leather below the waist. We'll have to wait a few days for the big reveal, but there was plenty in this bright, playful lineup to keep Jacobs' fans happy in the meantime.