Editor’s note: This year was a big one for Marc Jacobs, who celebrated his 40th anniversary in fashion and became the first guest editor of American Fashion. We close 2024 with an archive look at the designer’s career. This Fall 1999 collection, presented in SoHo on February 15, 1999, has been digitized as part of Vogue Runway’s ongoing efforts to document the history of fashion shows.
A muted palette of brown, gray and lavender matched the subdued vibe at Marc Jacobs for fall 1999. One of the highlights of the collection were the chunky knits, including hoodie-style cardigans, sweaters and flared striped scarves. The tailoring subtly borrowed elements from military and Western clothing (there were cow-print skirts), and the fancier ones somehow looked modest. Apron-like dresses, empire-waist dresses and Hester Prynne-esque capelets had Melanie Rickey from The independent called the atmosphere ‘prairie chic meets rustic street’.