Last weekend, my good friend, John Wade, West Coast Manager of Marc Jacobs stores, invited me for an exclusive "preview" of the recently debuted Spring 2009 Collection. Of course, I did a quick "spritz", stopped my 14-hour pattern making and draping of my Spring '09 Collection which I was working on, and headed off to see what almost every fashion editor called "The Best Collection from NY Fashion Week".
Every season , about a month after the runway show, Marc Jacobs sends the collection on a "Tour", with stops at all the major stores. Emails and invitations are sent to all the "preferred clients" to come and view the collection and take "pre-orders". it's a way to see the clients' reaction and "feel" the buying public. These clients will be the first to wear Marc Jacobs Spring 2009---and for the Hollywood "elite"; actresses, agent's, director's and producer's wives and/or girlfriends, this is a must. They want to be first to be seen in the collection and be the supposed envy of their fashionista circles. While I was there, I spotted several.
One of these to get a special preview was a fabulous LA-based jewelry designer and personal psychic (yep, you read that right!), Tori Hartman, who was there with her "girls" (who were showing off Tori's great bracelets and necklaces). We all had a fun time seeing the collection before anyone else. She also scared me when she began talking about my long-deceased grandma (whom I loved immensely and whom my new collection is loosely based on) and proclaiming what colors my new collection had (she was right!).
Of course, I was excited to see the clothes up close and personal. I especially wanted to see those snippy little straw hats that were shown with the collection. Straw NOT!! Try metallic sequined-like fabric woven to look like simple straw-like material. One of the gorgeous MJ staff was on hand to "model" pieces and I was glad to photograph them for you guys.
One of my favorite pieces was this bias-cut tweed boucle strapless bustier and Capri-pant look. The strapless top looked just like any other strapless top. Until you get up close and realize there is a whole boned corset built into it, which holds the wearer to a 1/8th of an inch of their well-toned upper torso body!
It even had a silk satin yoke attached at the hem that no one would get to see---to prevent the bustier from peeking out of a tucked-in outfit (as in the photo). This was a perfect example of details one would never get to see--and reasons for why a "simple corset"/strapless top can cost over a thousand dollars. This top was shown on the runway with these Capri pants that seemed to be of a shiny brocade fabric. Until you got up close...
There were sequined paillettes hand-sewn into the fabric!! Crazy! Again, on the runway, you could not even tell.
I loved seeing the jackets from the collection. Marc did these great little jackets with capped shoulder padded sleeves in various fabrications , from tweed, boucle, to metallic striped wool. His dresses were gorgeous , of course as well. 
I thank John Wade for allowing me to marvel at the clothes up close and see the beauty, workmanship and detail that one would normally not see on a runway video or Style.com fashion photos. I love having these "exclusive previews" , especially when they involve looking at the almost-couture garments of Marc Jacobs!