Marc Jacobs Stops in Savannah; Fans Descend

By Amy Flurry
October 21, 2010

Marc Jacobs Savannah

Marc Jacobs, Savannah book and t-shirt signing (photo credit: Bre Jacobs)

Before it even opened its doors last Thursday, the Marc by Marc Jacobs boutique in downtown Savannah already had an impressive line in front of its facade. A mix of art school teens and twenty-year-old hipsters with skateboards—all dressed trendier than the monikers imply—the crowd was hedging to be the first to meet the fashion boutique's namesake. By the time Marc Jacobs (yes, the man himself) arrived at noon, the line snaked all the way around the block, and remained that way for hours.

The event was originally slated as a photo book signing of fashion photographer Brian Bowen Smith's The Men and Women of Marc Jacobs, a photo book by the former Herb Ritts model-turned-protégé, which features the photos of Marc Jacobs employees from around the country. Proceeds from book sales were to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Marc Jacobs Book

The Men and Women of Marc Jacobs, by Brian Bowen Smith (image courtesy of Marc Jacobs); Robert Duffy's copy of The Men and Women of Marc Jacobs, signed by Jacobs (photo credit: Amy Flurry)

But the day took on the feel of a red carpet event when Marc Jacobs agreed to a personal appearance. "We're a sucker for a good cause," said Robert Duffy, co-founder and president of Marc Jacobs International. Duffy, who marveled at the turnout, explained, "Marc was coming to Savannah for my birthday party and I asked if, while he was here, he wouldn't mind signing the t-shirts we had designed for a fundraiser to benefit a local skate park."

At close and after Jacobs had signed t-shirts and pieces from his designer line and posed with every customer, the store sold $18,000 in Savannah Skate Park t-shirts in addition to dozens of photo books. Later that night, Jacobs decompressed at Robert Duffy's Savannah home along with other guests including photographer Brian Bowen Smith, singer Miley Cyrus and a number of Marc Jacobs employees from across the country, who had flown in for the birthday celebration.

Brian Bowen Smith, Marc Jacobs

Brian Bowen Smith, customer Lauren Davis, Marc Jacobs (photo credit: Bre Jacobs); Bre Jacobs

Of the six hours he spent at the store signing t-shirts on a day that fell on the heels of New York and Paris Fashion Week, Jacobs shrugged. “I love meeting people and seeing people,” he said, while hanging outside with friends on Robert Duffy's side porch. “I'm a very social being, so new experiences are a good thing. And I'm really fortunate to work with a creative group of people. We accumulate these experiences and go with that and trust our instincts when putting together new collections."

The company opened the Marc by Marc Jacobs boutique in Savannah three years ago, though Duffy has been coming to the southern city since the '70s. The birthday party was a housewarming of sorts, Duffy having just moved from a few blocks down to a mid-19th century row house in the historic district with a private courtyard and lap pool. "I travel the world constantly and collect artifacts from North African, antiques from China and the Middle East, many that fill this home," said Duffy. "This is my dream house!"

Despite the chaos and noise of Duffy's birthday celebration, we caught a few minutes with Brian Bowen Smith, who gave us the back story of his new home.

Collect like Marc Jacobs

Roll over items for details

Italian Fendi Chaise

(buy it now price, $1,800)

RIM Blackberry 9000

(buy it now price, $245.99)

Camard Arts Decoratifs Andre Arbus/Eugene Printz

(starting bid, $9.99)

Marc Jacobs Stops in Savannah; Fans Descend

“I've been building a home in New York and so I've been looking at a lot of design from the 20s and 30s," says Jacobs.

“I'm not into gadgets so much,” says Jacobs, “but I'm good at my Blackberry."

“One of the many designer's work I'm actively looking for is Eugene Printz,” says Jacobs. “They are very hard to find, so I'm still looking.”

Collect like Robert Duffy

Scrimshaw Carving Tall Ship Nautical Scene

(current bid, $50)

Clarice Cliff Radial Orange Melon Plate

(buy it now price, $471.75)

The Jean-Michel Basquiat Show

(buy it now price, $300 )

“I grew up collecting scrimshaw as a kid on the coast of Cape Cod and I still have a sailboat there."

“Clarice Cliff was a British ceramist from the late '20s and early '30s whose work I adore and collect.”

“I love coffee table books, especially on artists, though I had to build floor to ceiling shelves to house my collection.”

Collect like Brian Bowen Smith

Vintage 1970s Japan Canon Camera

(starting bid, $9.99 )

Beattie Portronic 40s Camera

(buy it now price, $399.20)

The Fashion Reader

(buy it now price, $38.45)

"I collect cameras," says Smith, "I collect coffee table books. The thing I love about photography is the diversity."

Find the photo book The Men and Women of Marc Jacobs at Marc Jacobs stores nationwide. All proceeds of the photo book, a multi-year project that features photographs of the Marc Jacobs company family, go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. You can also shop eBay to support breast cancer programs and research.

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