“When the Name Gets Sold: Why It Hurts to See Marc Jacobs Join the Clearance-Rack Club”

As a millennial and fashion enthusiast, I never thought I’d see the day when a brand like Marc Jacobs would feel like yesterday’s headline. Recently, LVMH has been reported to be in talks to sell the Marc Jacobs label for about $1 billion, with potential buyers being brand-management groups such as Authentic Brands Group, Bluestar Alliance and WHP Global.

What makes this sale kind of wrenching is the context: Marc Jacobs has long been considered a strong name in fashion, with red-carpet moments, cool runway collections, and a distinctive New-York creative spirit. The idea that it could be absorbed into a portfolio alongside brands that are less sought after—or that have been repositioned downward—is hard to reconcile. One article noted that LVMH is off-loading the brand because it “does not complement its portfolio” in the current strategy.

From my vantage, it feels like a sign of the times: in the same year the coveted Birkin bag became so mainstream it showed up in bargain-chains (yes, a Walmart-adjacent item that couldn’t stay on shelves), and even a fashion-remodeled troll-doll found itself being stolen off purses just to have one, the Marc Jacobs brand now seems to be sliding into “brand of yesterday” territory.

There’s something sharp about seeing a label you once revered now merging into a “mass-portfolio” scenario, potentially diluting the very ethos that made it feel special.

At the heart of it: brands live and die by perception and exclusivity. When that sense of curated identity shifts, even subtly, the signal changes for consumers. The fact that Marc Jacobs is now part of a possible transition into a broader, less premium layer of brand holdings indicates a cultural shift, especially for those of us who grew up with it as aspirational.

In short: we should care not just about which brands we buy, but why they carry the weight they do. Buying art, clothing, fashion — especially when we still have the chance to support creators while they’re active — matters. Because once the narrative changes, the value often follows. Remember Darling the show must go on and in good fashion.