Heaven's Sakes!: The Teenage Dream of Marc Jacobs' Fashion

Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis Spring 1993

The teenage dream has always been the spark behind Marc Jacobs — the designer’s first collection of acclaim, Perry Ellis Spring ’93, brought grunge to the runway. And, in spite of its original negative reception, the collection is now seen as monumental. Jacobs’ fascination with youth culture has spanned decades, and the latest love letter comes as Heaven x Marc Jacobs.

Heaven is 00s grunge in its ultimate form; dark, earthy tones mixed with playful prints, the motif of the brand being a two-headed teddy bear, a perfect representation of the lightheartedness of 00s grunge. A highlight of the line is the stores themselves, and the attention to detail behind them. From books to Anna Sui, the stores sell vintage of all kinds, and this amalgamation lends to the stores’ image of a teenagers’ bedroom.

Integrations of 00s classics, like plastic jewellery and cutesy decals, are all across Heaven’s lines. However, alongside simpler pieces, like slogan jumpers, the line encourages the creative freedom of the wearer.

Heaven x Marc Jacobs

Ava Nirui, the line’s art director, wanted to focus on the customers’ self-expression. “It’s really inspiring seeing how the younger generation individualises their clothes, and styles the clothes in ways I have never thought of before,” Nirui said to The Face. Nirui is best known for her Instagram page, in which she superimposes lower-end brands onto designers. This playful manipulation of logomania can be seen in Heaven’s lightheartedness.

Collaborating with Doc Martens and Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides, Heaven uses fan favourites of teenagers to enhance their own brand. With nods to Marc Jacobs’ original take on grunge, Heaven is teenage dream excellence.

by Lucy Eaton