L'HISTOIRE: The 1992 Perry Ellis Show That Got Marc Jacobs Fired

L’HISTOIRE explores fashion history moments you should know, from what actors wore on a red carpet to celebrities who made cameos on the runway. Some are unsung, and some are better known. Each is part of the fabric of today’s fashion world, be it barrier breakers or culture makers.

Before Marc Jacobs sent models down the runway dressed like toy dolls for his own brand, a young Jacobs was making waves in New York City for towing the line at Perry Ellis. His choice to send style looks with beanies and chokers down the catwalk for the Spring/Summer 1993 show (shown in 1992) is part of what got him fired shortly after. This chapter in the fashion designer's career offers a lesson for any creative looking to make an impact in their industry.

Perry Ellis was popular in the 1980s for its traditional men's attire and comfortable women's clothing with loose silhouettes that often swung on the conservative side. Jacobs was hired at Perry Ellis in 1988, a couple years after the founder of the eponymous label passed away. Perry Ellis clothes felt like something someone would wear in a country club, but when a young Jacobs entered the brand with his own vision, and things were bound to shift. That's exactly what happened when Jacobs designed Spring/Summer 1993.

The collection was inspired by the 1990s grunge music scene in Seattle. It was an aesthetic that was embraced by those in rock and roll, but it was, at the time, considered a faux pas in high fashion. Plus, the collection didn't sell, and many press seemed to abhor it. Bernadine Morris, a fashion critic, wrote in her 1992 New York Times piece that a typical ensemble in the collection "looks as if it were put together with the eyes closed in a very dark room."

While critics may have condemned the collection, it did successfully represent a part of youth culture and what people were actually wearing on the street. In a Vogue essay, Kate Moss reflected on her relationship with Jacobs and how authentic his work felt. "In London we had our own version of grunge that my friends and I were all wearing, so when I saw the collection I wasn't shocked. It was more like relief. Like, Someone else gets it," she wrote.

A deep dive into the collection itself unveils plenty of plaids, Dr. Martens boots, and disheveled hair, (none of which appealed to fashion elites' trends of the 1980s). Though not critically acclaimed at the time, this collection and show remains one that's important to know in Jacobs' and in broader American fashion history. It was a bridge between over-the-top collections of the '80s and the minimalistic nature of the '90s. 

Marc Jacobs has since then been celebrated and accomplished much in his decades-long fashion career, including serving as the creative director of womenswear at Louis Vuitton. He continues to push limits, and his Perry Ellis Spring/Summer 1993 show is a lesson for young designers and creatives to make things that look to spark questions and conversation, versus creating things that are expected and merely pleasing.

Click through the gallery below to see some favorite looks from the collection.