A fashion leader, late and puzzling

NEW YORK - On many levels, designer Marc Jacobs is a genius in America's ready-to-wear fashion industry. And the ticket to his show is the most coveted of Fashion Week. We know he will surprise. We expect him to give us a new silhouette, possibly even confuse us.

So the world's premier fashionistas waited Monday night outside the New York State Armory, eager to get into Jacobs' show. As the 9 p.m. start time dragged out toward 11:04 p.m., we sat there on uncomfortable steel benches, intrigued by what appeared to be broken windows shooting up from the runway. Tori Spelling. Russell Simmons. Posh Spice. Even Vogue editor Anna Wintour. All of us waited.

Finally, the lights dimmed. Projected numbers started counting backward. And what happened next seemed like something out of Bizarro World.

Instead of appearing at the end, Jacobs ran out on the stage and thanked us, his curly hair noticeably replaced by a short cut. Then the models streamed out one by one - as they normally would at the show's close.

Huh? Apparently, Jacobs meant to do things this way, as the booklet at my seat started with look No. 56 and counted backward to No. 1.

The looks themselves didn't make much sense, either. The first item to come out was a costumey ball gown with a very visible satin bra and panty. The next look was a beaded gown paired with a nude, too-small sandal (which again, according to my booklet, was an intentional decision by Jacobs).

One of his gowns, adorned with poppies, "dripped" with ribbons. Then there were two football jerseys - one pink, one purple - that looked like A-line dresses. Paired with heels and patent leather sandals, they looked cute, but definitely more like pajamas than an actual outfit. An accompanying film showed models in different levels of undress.

All together, these pieces looked like hallucinations - which is quite possible, because last spring, Jacobs checked himself into rehab.

How could Jacobs, one of the leaders in setting American trends, give us partial clothing as the next big thing? How could he send women wearing too-small pumps and sandals walking down the runway?

At a time when women are rejoicing that they can dress up again, buying pretty clothing with ruching and tailoring and scalloped hems, why is Jacobs espousing homeless chic (not to mention bird's-nest hair)? What is hot about three-quarters of a dress? What is wearable about half of a crepe gown?

Is Jacobs having a Britney moment?

But before the entire collection can be dismissed, one has to understand why fashion journalists and celebs flocked to Jacobs' show in the first place.

The last time Jacobs showed a collection so strange, it was Spring 2005, when he single-handedly changed the reigning sleek silhouette into one that was full and layered. For his Fall 2007 collection, he bucked trends again by reintroducing the suit as important.

Each time, industry insiders laughed, the fashion press clucked. Then, unbelievably, his looks were picked up by other designers - subliminally or not - in later seasons. And Jacobs was given the ultimate credit for being a trendsetter.

So even as bizarre as the Jacobs show appeared, it still had the mark of a master behind it. While he sent chopped-up clothing down the runway, exposing some backs and midriffs, his models didn't look trampy. As usual, he was an expert in layering, placing punchy colors over muted pieces.

The next day, Jacobs gave us a little more insight at a showing of his lower-priced line, Marc by Marc Jacobs. The models had the same rat-bitten hair, but the looks were definitely toned down. Sleeves were still missing from dresses, but at least dresses were shown in their entirety, along with full coats and shoes that fit.

So will Jacobs' partially clothed, draped silhouette eventually be incorporated into the mainstream? As always in the fashion world, if a celebrity or an influential socialite dares to wear the pieces, the look could very well catch on - or fail miserably.

As the show ended Monday night, people were afraid to speculate. Many agreed that the show would be the most talked-about event of Fashion Week, but no one wanted to comment until they read what the critics said, and the critics were dumbfounded.

On the way out, a few journalists asked rap mogul Russell Simmons what he thought about the Jacobs show. He told us the production was great. Then he said it again.

But when we pointedly asked Simmons about the clothes, he said nothing. He just looked at us and walked away, as fast as he could.