Theatricality is always in attendance at a Marc Jacobs show, and this Autumn/Winter 2020 season, the New York designer sought the creative brilliance of “Punk Ballerina” Karole Armitage to set the stage. Armitage, who was responsible for Madonna’s iconic Vogue dance, choreographed an ensemble performance of 50 dancers who — all dressed in Jacobs-designed pastels and knits — moved with electric intensity across the stage. The flurry of movement conveyed the theme of “chaos and form,” creating a fitting contrast to the collection’s minimalist vein. “This collection emphasises restraint, quality of fabrics, make and proportion,” wrote Jacobs in his show notes. “These extremes, in their structured simplicity, are as radical a choice and challenge as the bravado of past collections.”

Indeed, last season’s motley flamboyance pared down to present a united front of retro glamour, much of which pivoted on the eclecticism of New York City from the ‘60s onwards. Familiar faces including Kaia Gerber, Karlie Kloss, Gigi and Bella Hadid emerged as semblances of Jackie Kennedy: pastel skirt suits, modish peacoats, pillbox hats, Mary-Janes, and debutante gowns worn with satin gloves. There was sparkle and grit and flashes of punk: tartans, boiler suits, leather jackets, and a cameo by Miley Cyrus, who emerged in a bra-top holding a zebra-print coat. And throughout the collection, fragments of Jacobs’ legacy emerged with hints of ‘90s minimalism and ‘80s collegiate flair, presenting a retrospective of New York City and the designer it shaped.