Here is an excerpt from my Teen Vogue March 2011 interview with Fashion News Director Jane Keltner de Valle (who wore many hats and also photographed Bryanboy and me at the Marc Jacobs headquarters—and [as seen above, in archival MMJ wares] just across the street at Lafayette Smoke Shop):

 [s/s 2002]

Jane Keltner de Valle: Do you remember the first Marc by Marc Jacobs piece you ever bought?

Julia Frakes: I do! It was a proper pink ruffled teatime skirt from spring 2002 that, if I’m not mistaken, was first sported on the catwalk by Natalia Vodianova paired with a very Annie Hall corduroy vest. That ensemble’s dichotomy really struck me and spurred a whole “ladylike tomboy” wardrobe phase in middle school—highlighted by plenty of MMJ, of course.

 [f/w 2005]

JKdV: What’s your favorite Marc by Marc Jacobs moment from the past decade? 

JF: My most prized MMJ closet staples stem from some of my favorite runway moments like the ginormous floor-grazing “super scarves” of fall 2002, the “Dustbowl chic” ditsy florals of spring 2009, the 80s Americana buffalo plaids and patchwork dresses of fall 2005, the dusty palate and 1920s side-swept hair of spring 2007, and the rather bookish fall 2007 collection ripe for an after-school ice skating romp on a frozen pond in England’s Lake District (especially befitting considering that the fall/winter 2007 MMJ show was staged in London).

 [s/s 2009]

JKdV: How would you describe the Marc by Marc Jacobs girl? Do you think she’s changed over the years?

JF: There is an eccentric youthful optimism at the heart of each season that—from day one of the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection—has reminded me of one of my favorite childhood stories, the Swiss national treasure Heidi by Johanna Spyri (and the 1937 film based on the novel starring Shirley Temple as the namesake character). That spry spirit and exuberant attitude may have progressively become more polished over the past decade, but its balance between sweetness and sophistication is constantly evolving in accord with the inclination of the mainstream culture at large (thereby boosting its wide-ranging accessibility with its iconic, instantly-recognizable and sought-after MMJ lifestyle goods).

 [s/s 2007]

JF: At the time of its dissemination, I distinctly recall reckoning how the casting of muse Iekeliene Stange in Juergen Teller’s quirky Spring 2007 MMJ campaign was the quintessential embodiment of the madcap panache of the brand’s targeted MMJ girl.

 [s/s 2007]

JKdV: What do you most love about Marc by Marc Jacobs?

JF: KCD casting director Michelle Lee’s cheerful, fresh-faced casting is perpetually spot-on and in turn plays up some of my favorite facets of each collection—namely Marc by Marc Jacobs’ signature penchant for layering, an easygoing thrift-shop ethos and a lively mix-and-matchable sensibility—that anchor the line’s approachability and offers an attainable gateway into the brilliant world of Marc Jacobs.

Also, the highly-marketable Marc by Marc Jacobs accessories devised by Katie Hillier bridge the gap between all ages; they somehow lend themselves to being just as suited on a zany teen as they are on a lighthearted grown-up.

The full feature can be found at Teen Vogue… and be sure to check out Jane’s behind-the-scenes diary!

Go behind-the-scenes with Fashion News Director Jane Keltner de Valle during our photoshoot at the Marc Jacobs International headquarters in Soho for the March 2011 issue of Teen Vogue [slideshow]

As a longtime and dedicated Rachel Comey fan, I left her Fall 2011 show on Thursday even madder for her collection than ever—thanks to her ultra-textural prints, killer new cowboy boots and trademark oversized blazers (one of her hallmarks now honed to a T). Oh, and I caught up with Teen Vogue along the way! 

My old friend, Teen Vogue Online Editor Naomi Nevitt—who, in my estimation, is the best-dressed editor in the industry with the biggest heart to match—posted this snippity snapshot and asked me a question or two…

It’s war! Okay, not really. But here are a few unabridged thoughts on East Coast vs. West Coast style (the succinct, edited-down version can be found at Teen Vogue—link above):

• On-the-go New Yorkers may typify effortless style, but it certainly isn’t careless; it is thoughtfully devised to carry them from work to play, night to day, and equipped with enough layers to face the Northeast’s fickle elements.
• Casual, off-the-cuff elegance—perhaps first exemplified by Claire McCardell’s “American Look”—pioneered New York’s unique high-low and democratic aesthetic, as epitomized by McCardell’s then groundbreaking notion to don ballet slippers as everyday footwear.
• While “Boho” is a decidedly West Coast phenomenon, the manifestly New Yorker styles encompass Wall Street “business” (think Working Girl), Upper East Side “prep” (now ubiquitous with Gossip Girl), St. Marks Place “punk” (drawing its roots from the New York Dolls era) and a distinct ladylike “elegance” (legendarily exemplified by Breakfast at Tiffany’s).
• Red carpet-wise, New Yorkers are much less about showmanship (generally no “shoulders back and smile!”) since we have a less operative role in the entertainment industry. Our event attitude and outfit choices are more in the spirit of having a good time and derive from less of a see-and-be-seen mantra—as characterized by the breezy nonchalance of Chloë Sevigny, Alexa Chung and Michelle Williams.

(pictured — albeit in a less-than-cute, awkward windswept moment — outside Pier 59 in a Mandy Coon dress, Rachel Comey bag, Karen Walker spectacles, Balenciaga Fall 2006 heels, Pamela Love Star of David necklace, vintage unicorn necklace and my ginormous gratis APC canvas bag to tote around ample samples and such) 

full feature in the October 2010 issue of Teen Vogue on newsstands now

So remember last year’s Saga of the Fall 2006 Balenciaga Heels (set a’walking courtesy of Textbook’s John Jannuzzi)? Well, it has at long last been fulfilled.