Graffiti Makes Its Marc

Born and raised in New York City, I have long been a fan of street art, although it is often rather commonplace for my jaded urban eyes. The best examples, however, let creativity run rampant. Despite what the law may state, it seems that there are no boundaries for graffiti.

Graffiti creates its own world, which is somehow simultaneously utopian and dystopian. It is a chaos in the views of many, yet one of the perks of modern society is that we have learned to see the beauty in the strange. Marc Jacobs, ever the fashion pioneer, has caught on to the appeal of street art and has set his latest ad campaign for diffusion line Marc by Marc Jacobs in a graffiti chaos.

The setting is grunge, with its models posed in corners of rubble and grimy public bathrooms, but the decorated walls enliven the bright geometrics of the Spring 2013 collection's casual separates. One might think that the result would be too busy, that it would create a clashing catastrophe. In fact, the elements produce a campaign that revels in its contrasts.

Not to mention, the images are some of the best examples of photographer Juergen Teller's signature aesthetic. He is a mainstay for the Marc campaigns, but this latest product feels fresh.

Color has been rather slick and sophisticated in fashion as of late, which makes this campaign's urban sprawl of hues especially enjoyable.

Photographed by Juergen Teller

Images belong to Marc by Marc Jacobs