Whatever Happened To Marc Jacobs Beauty?
Marc Jacobs' love for fashion blossomed at an early age. "I became aware when I was very young that I got more pleasure from choosing clothes to go back to school than I did sports," he told The Fashionography. "Even though I got bullied for the way I looked, it was more important to me to be true to myself and dress the way I wanted to, than the fear I had for not fitting in." This commitment propelled him forward, and he attended Parsons School of Design following his high school graduation. He went on to win numerous awards after college, including the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year in 1992, and landed impressive roles such as the creative director at Louis Vuitton in 1997. Shortly after, the first Marc Jacobs retail store opened its doors.
However, Jacobs held more than just an interest in clothing. Beauty and fashion often go hand-in-hand, with many top companies, such as YSL, Gucci, and Dior, launching makeup collections. The Marc Jacobs brand followed suit, releasing Marc Jacobs Beauty in 2013. The label offered a complete makeup routine, from face primer to eyeshadow. Unfortunately, this endeavor proved short-lived, as the brand disappeared from the internet in 2021, seemingly without warning. No announcement or press release heralded the shift, leaving many with a burning question: What happened to Marc Jacobs Beauty?
The end of Marc Jacobs Beauty?
There is limited information available about the potential end of Marc Jacobs Beauty, leaving its disappearance open to interpretation. The brand was sold at both Sephora and Marc Jacobs stores and began heavily discounting its products in 2021. Once the products sold out, they were not restocked. The brand did not release a definitive statement regarding this situation, and its last Instagram post, a seemingly ordinary Valentine's Day advertisement posted on February 8, 2022, encouraged followers to shop on the Marc Jacobs website for "beauty & gifts."
The main question is why the brand disappeared. Although Marc Jacobs had experienced some financial troubles in the years prior, Marc Jacobs Beauty in particular showed no clear signs of trouble before its exit, leaving the rest of the world to speculate about what may have occurred behind the scenes. According to Business of Fashion, Marc Jacobs Beauty's contract with supplier Kendo ended in 2021, which was around the same time the brand faded away. "Marc Jacobs Beauty is not being discontinued," a spokesperson told BoF at the time. "Currently, we are in the process of strategizing the best way to reach our global customer going forward." Unfortunately, this new strategy has yet to manifest, leaving fans of the beauty line in limbo.
The public response
Marc Jacobs Beauty was not an underground brand and had a large following. Fans were left devastated and confused when it disappeared. The last Instagram post is filled with comments begging the line to resurface. One response reads "Come back, I need my coconut highlighting dewy drops," while another states "I am so disappointed that your makeup line is discontinued." Marc Jacobs Beauty has obvious favorites and fans continue to clamor for a revival.
TikTok creator @maddiepeed garnered over 1,000 likes when they posted a video explaining the top three reasons why Marc Jacobs Beauty should return. They cited the popularity of other brands only sold at Sephora, the incredible formulations, and the "cool-girl" aesthetic used for the packaging. When the brand stopped producing products in 2021, many people stocked up on Marc Jacobs Beauty at a huge discount. Those who didn't can still find these items being resold across the internet for a price much higher than retail, which shows just how desperate the public is to get their hands on Marc Jacobs Beauty.
Best of the best products
Marc Jacobs Beauty was a great resource for luxury makeup accessible worldwide before the brand disappeared in 2021. It had campaigns featuring celebrities such as Winona Ryder while being worn on red carpets by Lady Gaga and Marc Jacobs himself. It was an accessible beauty line that had notable quality and status to back it up.
In 2020, Allure editor Devon Abelman named the Marc Jacobs Beauty At Lash'd Mascara her top beauty product of the year. Abelman stated, "Marc Jacobs Beauty's At Lash'd is the only one I reach for." The same year, the brand's mascara primer won a highly-coveted Allure Best of Beauty award.
Not only was Marc Jacobs Beauty leading in the mascara world, but other products from the line were receiving just as much love from fans. Associate beauty editor Courtney Higgs at Who What Wear reviewed products from the Marc Jacobs Beauty line back in 2020 and declared its Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer Lipgloss a 6/5 star product and her official "favorite lipgloss." According to comments on the brand's last Instagram post, fan favorites also include bronzer, eyeliner, and foundation.
Will Marc Jacobs Beauty have a comeback?
The big question surrounding Marc Jacobs Beauty is whether the brand will make a major comeback. Although no official announcement has been made, fans are speculating and eagerly begging the brand to revive some of its cult-favorite products. Marc Jacobs himself has never been afraid of revisiting the past, as his namesake brand recently resumed production of the Stam bag, a Y2K staple for celebrities.
In 2023, an Instagram account named @makeuponmyradar shared a screenshot of a Marc Jacobs Beauty page on the Net-a-Porter website, which stated that the line was "coming soon." However, the account has since been deleted and the Marc Jacobs Beauty page on Net-a-Porter now displays a broken link, though it's possible to view listings for some of its products, such as the Re(Marc)able Full Cover Foundation.
After the post was made, fans began discussing the possibility of multiple offerings returning on Reddit's r/BeautyGuruChatter in late May. They expressed their hope to see the brand's famous mascara, eyeliners, and lipsticks make a comeback. Unfortunately, the brand continues to remain silent on the matter on social media.
Marc Jacobs overall brand outlook
Beyond the disappearance of its beauty line, Marc Jacobs has faced some rough spots over the years that have left its future in question. During an early 2017 investors call, Bernard Arnault, the chairman and chief executive of Marc Jacobs parent company LVMH, stated, "I'm more concerned about Marc Jacobs than the U.S. president." The label has experienced numerous store closures, along with the end of its more affordable Marc by Marc Jacobs line and quite a bit of staff turnover (via The New York Times).
Despite the setbacks, the fashion brand has also seen tremendous growth in popularity in recent years. The Marc Jacobs Tote Bag became a sensation on social media following its 2019 launch, leading the brand to create new iterations of the tote as well as other successful bags. It also heavily contributed to the enduring 2023 black tote trend. Additionally, the Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume has stood the test of time as a cult classic since its release in 2007, with stars like Kaia Gerber fronting its campaigns.
While the Marc Jacobs label has experienced its share of ups and downs, it seems there is always a fan base for Marc Jacobs Beauty if it decides to return.