On February 3, ahead of New York Fashion Week’s Fall/Winter 2025 kickoff, Marc Jacobs presented his Spring 2025 with an awe-inspiring collection at the New York Public Library. More than just a fashion presentation, this show was a declaration — an exploration of courage, creativity, and the rebellious nature of dreaming.
A Legacy of Bold Innovation
Marc Jacobs has long been a disruptor in the fashion industry. From his 1992 grunge collection at Perry Ellis (which got him fired but cemented his place in fashion history) to his revolutionary tenure at Louis Vuitton, Jacobs has consistently pushed boundaries. His eponymous label has maintained that same ethos — melding high fashion with an avant-garde, often theatrical sensibility that challenges convention while remaining deeply personal. In recent years, his brand has embraced nostalgia, exaggerated proportions, and an unapologetic sense of individuality, all of which were on full display at his latest show.
Courage as a Design Principle
The collection, aptly titled “Courage,” was accompanied by show notes that served as an emotional and philosophical statement from Jacobs himself. “Fear is not my enemy — it is a necessary companion to creativity, authenticity, integrity and life,” he wrote. This manifesto laid the foundation for a collection that turned the dream into an act of rebellion, proving that fashion is not just about aesthetics but also about confronting and shaping reality.
Marc Jacobs Spring 2025 Show Notes:
“Courage.
Guided by heart, humility and gratitude, I have come to understand that fear is not my enemy — it is a necessary companion to creativity, authenticity, integrity and life.
With precious freedom we dream and imagine without limitation, daring to be vulnerable in the face of criticism and failure, not to escape from reality but to help navigate, understand and confront it — exploring through curiosity, conviction, compassion and love.”
The Collection: Exaggeration as a Statement
Jacobs has never shied away from drama, and this collection was no exception. Silhouettes were exaggerated to the extreme — towering shoulders, powerful proportion play, and sculptural skirts that distorted and redefined the body’s natural form. This was not just about size but about presence. The oversized tailoring and ballooned proportions felt almost defiant, a challenge to the minimalist wave that has dominated recent seasons.
Fabrications played a crucial role in amplifying these statements. Luxurious wools, crushed velvets, and structured taffetas contributed to the gravity-defying shapes. There was a clear nod to couture craftsmanship, but with Jacobs’ signature modern irreverence. The color palette oscillated between classic monochromes and deep, dramatic jewel tones, reinforcing the theatricality of the pieces.
The choice of footwear further heightened the message — high heels with toe boxes that extended well past the foot, oversized bows that created femininity all on their own, and platform heels that featured dramatic rounded-toes that turned every step into a deliberate, statement-making stride. These elements combined to create a vision of fearless femininity, where vulnerability and strength coexisted.
A Stage Worthy of the Vision
The New York Public Library, an institution synonymous with knowledge, imagination, and historical grandeur, once again provided a fitting backdrop for Marc Jacobs’ runway show. The setting reinforced the idea of fashion as a form of storytelling — one that does not merely dress the present but also dares to dream about the future.
What This Means for Fashion Now
Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2025 collection is a reminder that fashion, at its best, is an act of courage. In a time when the industry often leans into commercial safety, Jacobs continues to challenge expectations, proving that fashion should not just be consumed — it should be felt. By converting dramatization into a proclamation, he delivers more than a collection; he offers a perspective, an emotion, a movement.
For those looking ahead to New York Fashion Week, Jacobs has set the bar high. His show serves as a prelude to what fashion could (and should) be — bold, imaginative, and unafraid.
Marc Jacobs once again proves that fashion is not just about dressing the body, but about expressing the soul. And in a world that often demands conformity, his latest collection reminds us that sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is dare to dream — out loud, without limits, and without fear.
