Academy Award winner Sofia Coppola (“Lost in Translation”) has directed her first documentary feature. “Marc by Sofia” is a solid look into the life and career of fashion designer, and Coppola’s longtime friend, Marc Jacobs. Coppola interviewed Jacobs on a few occasions in the 12 weeks leading up to his 2024 runway show.
There’s a definite blend here, of Jacobs’ fashion eye (his accounts from childhood, time at the famous Parsons School of Design, and working his way up in the industry) and Coppola’s love of cinema (film clips, music and entertainment inspirations). It takes about a half hour to get used to this doc’s intentionally unsteady rhythm, but the flow gets better.
Jacobs provides enough interesting commentary throughout, including insights into his decision-making process. Some of his remarks get a little inside baseball, but for fashion lovers outside the ‘biz, there’s still plenty to appreciate and relate to, including Jacobs’ admiration for fellow fashion moguls and those he’s worked and collaborated with over the years.
“Marc by Sofia” briefly takes us to one of his bookstores for Q&A session with young adults. I would’ve liked to learn even more about how Bookmarc came to be. The final section — Jacobs’ show and the morning after — is the strongest.
LCJ GRADE: B-
Running Time: 87 min.