Marc Made Us Eager For Spring ... Marc Jacobs SS2011

I saw Halston girls sashaying on Marc Jacobs’ runway recently. Wait. Am I pretty sure they are the ‘original’ Halston girls? And when I say ‘original’, I mean Bianca Jagger, Anjelica Huston, Pat Cleveland and Naomi Sims walking on the runway. I think I saw Ali MacGraw too.

Oh no, I guess either I must have been looking at the photos from a long distance or I am desperately in need of reading glasses (Prada frame, please). But one thing that I am pretty, pretty sure is that the 70s fever has taken Marc Jacobs runway by storm!

Shown to a coterie of fashion buyers and global fashion editors at the New York Fashion Week recently, the spring/summer 2011 ready-to-wear is akin to a grand homage to everything spring and perhaps, to the iconic designer himself. (However, Jacobs mentioned the late Yves Saint Laurent – not the former – as one of his references to Nicole Phelps of Style.com.)

And I’ve no doubt that he might as well took a little – if not much – reference from Carrie Bradshaw’s liking for flower corsages as accessories in Sex and the City The Movie due to the overabundance of flower corsages sported by the models. Doused in fireworks of lively spring/summer shades, the collection presentation was kicked off with two belted coats drenched in Oriental-inspired print paired with knee-length skirts in polished, buttery leather.

The spring celebration a la 70s then followed suit with printed jumpsuit with plunging v-neckline, front pockets and flower-detailed sash on the waist. Model Kat Hessen took the spectators’ breath away with a meticulously draped two-toned printed halter gown with blossom detailing on the waist. Thanks to the makeup and the frizzy long hair (which is so Diane von Furstenberg!) I almost had mistaken her for Eva Herzigova.

More Halston – or as mentioned by Jacobs to Phelps – Yves Saint Laurent-esque frocks in attention-seeking shades were presented to the audiences by a number of fresh new faces. A halter neck jumpsuit with textured gold neckpiece detail, wide trousers and two big front pockets plus a wide-brimmed straw hat on model Melodie Monrose reminds of the Stepford Wives – a tad sexed up or Studio 54 version that is.

Pantsuits – as seen on Bianca Jagger most of the time, especially the one designed by Saint Laurent for her wedding day – are drenched in oversized pale pink flower prints with non-constricting silhouette on top.

The climax gets dramatic with dazzling pieces sporting halter necks, cutouts and unparalleled drapes in inviting shades and patterns. However, contrary to what anyone would have expected at Marc Jacobs’ show, the presentation ended with a number of demure pieces – mostly ensembles – instead of heavy ball gowns with sweeping full skirts, as seen at Louis Vuitton FW2010-11 show in Paris last March.

Nevertheless, the pieces are charming as well, especially when paired with the wide-brimmed straw hats and a coterie of hand-carried accessories. In an overall, Marc has done another fabulous job in keeping his cash register ringing as I am sure that his devoted fans will be more than thrilled to be dressed head to toe in his creations throughout the two seasons.

Marc Jacobs SS2011 ready-to-wear collection and accessories will be available in Marc Jacobs’ stores, select fine departmental stores and multi-brand stores worldwide next year.

*Photos by Imaxtree/New York Magazine

Marc Jacobs – Ground Floor, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur; #02-12, Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801.