After 14 years it seems we are finally saying goodbye to Marc by Marc Jacobs after it was announced this week that the brand will be folding into the main line ahead of their IPO which is looming somwhere in the near future.
Jacobs told WWD 'I've absolutely loved the last few seasons of MbMJ's young, cool, hip shows. It just feels like we weren't doing our job by showing two different collections with two different images'. Although some are still concerned as to how this will all work out, the move is not dissimilar to the one made by Dolce & Gabbana in 2011 who disbanded diffusion line D&G in order to 'put more strength and energy into other collections'.
This is not the first, nor by any means the last big change to happen to the brand in recent years. Robert Duffy, Jacobs business partner is set to take a step back from day to day operations and LVMH are offering more investment, meaning that the parent company will own 80% of the brand whilst Duffy and Jacobs themselves equally share the remaining 20%.
Furthermore, 2013 saw Marc Jacobs step down from his role at Louis Vuitton among rumours that he was going to focus on his accessories line after the huge success experienced by Michael Kors. Interestingly he seems to have followed in Kors lead this week after setting up his own Instagram page despite just last month telling Suzy Menkes 'I'm so appalled by the whole Social Media thing, I don't get it. It doesn't appeal to me'. Michael Kors by contrast, has in recent years embraced television advertising, Twitter and Instagram proving how adjusting with the times can be hugely beneficial for a brand after his IPO proved to be one of the most successful in the fashion industry.
The brand, which Marc Jacobs launched in 2001 with Robert Duffy in order to target a younger demographic, is currently headed by Luella Bartley and Katie Hillier, it remains unclear where their future lies or what will happen to the current MbMJ stores.
