Book Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer and the creative force behind his namesake label. His career started early: at 15 he was a stock boy at the avant-garde New York boutique Charivari, and while studying at Parsons he created hand-knit sweaters that became his first line. With longtime business partner Robert Duffy he formed Jacobs Duffy Designs, and in 1986 he presented his first collection under the Marc Jacobs name. In 1987 the CFDA gave him its Perry Ellis Award for new talent, making him the youngest winner in the award's history. In 1988 he and Duffy took over women's design at Perry Ellis, and from 1997 to 2014 Jacobs served as creative director of Louis Vuitton, helping to transform the French house into a modern fashion powerhouse. He also ran the diffusion line Marc by Marc Jacobs for fifteen years, which at its peak operated 200 stores in 80 countries. His honors include the CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award (2011), France's Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and a place on the Time 100 list in 2010. Jacobs speaks with candor about creativity, risk, reinvention and building a global brand.