This year Marc Jacobs closed New York Fashion Week with a grim reminder of the biggest environmental disaster, which the US has faced in the past year or so. In a somber show, held at the Lexington Armory, Jacobs mourned the damage caused by Sandy, which wrecked large parts of his beloved New York and his West Village home.

Marc Jacobs, 2013 Fashion Media Awards
Jacobs paid sobre homage to Sandy.

The show, according to USA Today, featured one theme above all else – black, destruction, desolation. The black sand, strewn across the catwalk was reportedly shipped in directly from Katrina-ravaged coastlines – Jacobs never does things halfway. Cigarette butts and broken Budweiser bottles littered the edges of the runway, alongside a busted bus and shipwrecked mast. Whether because of the expensive sand or because the designer was trying to further emphasize the environmental message, guests were greeted by sweltering heat, which, intentionally or not, fit the theme rather perfectly.

As for the clothes themselves, the collection was a surreal mix of dark hues and contrasting fabrics – straight black military jackets and slouchy hoodies contrasted with ornate lace gowns, while the models walked somberly down the catwalk. The bushy blonde hairstyles the models wore emphasized the impression of chaos and discomfort. Once again, Jacobs presented not simply a collection, but an impressive piece of concept art.

Marc Jacobs, NY Fashion Week
Jacobs himself came out dressed in a clean, black ensemble.