At the Spring Collections in Paris, American designer Marc Jacobs mixed past and present to come up with a formula for fashion’s future in a radical showing for Louis Vuitton on the closing day of the Paris prêt-à-porter season.

	Marc Jacobs used mix of dusky tones and black for his Louis Vuitton collection

Jacobs recreated 17th-century pannier skirts in cashmere and corduroy and paired them with 21st-century tailored jackets and polo-neck sweaters – plus, of course, a chunky Marc Jacobs Stam bag as shown in the photo.

The metal “cages” which fashionable women of the era wore underneath their skirts to keep the wide shape were re-styled as a form of clearly visible large “belt” or jewellery for the hips.

Accessories gave the finishing touch with the addition of a stylish “super-Fez” in black plastic or satin plus architectural chunks of stainless steel, in the manner of a modern building by Frank Gehry turned into gigantic necklaces, chokers and cuffs.

Jacobs, who has been creative director at Louis Vuitton for ten years, named the collection “my French fashion fantasy”.

This collection, which will be worn by Louis Vuitton fans in for autumn/winter 2008/09, was shown in dusky tones of pale sage, cream and rose, contrasted with black, with the emphasis always on the oversized shape.

Sculpted jackets with squared-peplums came with “tulip” skirts, with folds of fabric at either side, or balloon-leg trousers, tapering in at the ankle and shown in both pastel cashmere and black leather. An alternative trouser suit was comprised of a red, sleeveless tunic with matching red leather ‘zouave’ trousers.

Evening gowns featured a tight-fitting bodice allied to a balcony-style skirt, attached at the hips by a series of deep folds and were worn with musketeer-style gauntlet gloves.

The footwear was just as modern: clumpy shoes and boots balanced on a platform sole and stack heel.

ellipticals

The pinnacle of Marc Jacobs’ career so far is his hugely successful Stam bag. This high profile, high priced handbag is named after model Jessica Stam and the oversized quilted purse was launched in 2006. With its detachable gold chain handle, the Marc Jacobs Quilted Stam Bag is now the most popular quilted handbag in the world. A new colour is launched each year to keep Stam Bag addicts interested and ready to buy their next bag from this successful designer collection.

The Stam bag includes almost every popular detail from recent must-have bags, such as the squishy soft leather body and ostentatious clasps, fastenings and gold chain straps – chandeliers would not look out of place here. As regards colour, the Stam bag refuses to play it safe, as this metallic silver example shows clearly. The Marc Jacobs bag is a hit with style leaders like Scarlett Johansson, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Moss, being seen on their arms is essential to the launch of a top It-bag.