Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer best known as the founder and head designer of the Marc Jacobs label and for serving as creative director of Louis Vuitton from 1997 to 2014.[1][3] Born April 9, 1963, in New York City, Jacobs studied at the High School of Art and Design and Parsons School of Design, where his graduate knitwear project gained early attention and awards.[3][8] He co‑founded Jacobs Duffy Designs with Robert Duffy in the mid‑1980s and launched his eponymous label, Marc Jacobs, which expanded into boutiques, ready‑to‑wear, accessories, fragrances, and licensed lines.[1][9] Jacobs gained major industry recognition after winning multiple Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards, including the Perry Ellis/New Fashion Talent award early in his career and later CFDA honors for womenswear, menswear and accessories across the 1990s and 2000s.[2][3] His 1992 “grunge” collection for Perry Ellis was widely discussed for bringing street and Seattle grunge aesthetics to high fashion, a move that proved controversial yet influential.[3][6] At Louis Vuitton he created the house’s first ready‑to‑wear line and spearheaded high‑profile artist collaborations (including Takashi Murakami and Stephen Sprouse), helping modernize the brand and expand its global profile.[1][3] Jacobs also ran the diffusion line Marc by Marc Jacobs for about 15 years before it was discontinued after the 2015 fall/winter collection.[1] Beyond design, he and Robert Duffy grew Marc Jacobs into a global business with boutiques worldwide and diversified product lines including perfumes and accessories.[2][9] As of the most recent accounts, Marc Jacobs remains a prominent designer and public figure in fashion whose legacy includes pioneering trend reinterpretation, influential brand collaborations, and a sustained retail presence through his namesake label.[6][9]