Anatomy of a Catwalk

A look at what it took to put the Marc Jacobs fashion show together.

New York Fashion Week officially starts on Friday, but Marc Jacobs unofficially kicked it off last Friday with his spring 2024 show at the Park Avenue Armory.

Near the runway was an installation of gargantuan furniture by the artist Robert Therrien. The pieces were meant to make the models and guests feel doll-sized.

Ahead of the show, stand-ins walked the 250-foot-long runway to help producers fine tune lighting and other elements before the actual models hit the catwalk.

Models arrived seven hours early to start preparing. There were upwards of 50 hair, nail and makeup artists helping them get ready backstage.

As the show’s 6 p.m. start time neared, the streets outside became a runway for guests like Meredith Duxbury, an influencer, who posed for photographers.

Hari Nef, Bloody Osiris, Tremaine Emory, and Dakota Fanning were among the 200 guests in attendance.

As models finished hair and makeup, a team of 50 dressers helped them into their runway looks.

At six o’clock sharp, music started to fill the armory. The crowd hushed. Then, the show began.

The show’s 47 looks included coats, skirt suits, and gowns with exaggerated silhouettes.

The show took five weeks to plan and three days to set up. It lasted for about 11 minutes before Mr. Jacobs took his bow. Soon after, a crew started disassembling the set.