#SuzyNYFW: Marc Jacobs Takes The High Line

After a week of dynamic change as the “see now, buy now” concept hit New York fashion, the American season ended with Marc Jacobs in a retro mood.

It was back to the 1970s with halos of dreadlocks on models’ heads and extreme wedge platform boots and shoes elevating them from below. In between came short and sweet skirts in pink and orange colours, with the occasional longer coat to prove that this was not a hipster music event from half a century ago, but actual fashion for today's world.

Wandering out at the end of the show to take a brief bow, Marc appeared on stage well apart from the strings of lights that gave the event a fairy tale quality.

Dresses, short and decorated with digital prints, were almost cartoon-ish; while a flurry of pink tulle and long, puffed sleeves suggested a costume party for seven-year-olds. Stretch jeans in deep purple would have seemed like normal clothing for Spring/Summer 2017 – if they had not ended in vertiginous, shocking pink platform boots.

The shoe versions, although still built like children’s toy blocks, seemed less obviously 1970s than the boots – especially when a tailored coat in shades of pink and purple ended below the knee.

The general effect was weird, clown-like and not of this world – unless the plan was old school: put on a flashy show to get attention, then quietly agree to requests from store buyers for longer hemlines, quieter colours and footwear literally brought down to earth.

Yet Marc still has a dash of his old magic. And after a week-long discussion about new ways to conduct clothing commerce, there was something disarming – and even charming – about his artistry with clothes.