New York Fashion Week 2018: Marc Jacobs show ran so late critics think designer tried ‘to spite Rihanna’

Fashion week wouldn’t be fashion week without a healthy dose of drama.

First, it was Cardi B and Nicki Minaj who made headlines for their alleged scuffle, then it was the Miami-based label who sent models down the runway wearing tape for bikinis.

Now it seems that seven days of sartorial splendour in New York has caused rumours of a ruckus between two of the industry’s major players: Marc Jacobs and Rihanna.

Historically, Jacobs’ show has been the grand finale of New York Fashion Week’s schedule, always taking a late-night slot on the last day of proceedings.

However, this year that coveted slot was occupied by none other than pop icon-turned-fashion designer Rihanna, whose Savage x Fenty show was one of the most talked-about this season thanks to its diverse casting.

Jacobs’ show was bumped to the earlier than normal time of 6pm, but according to reports, it didn’t start until 7.30pm, when Rihanna’s show was scheduled to begin.

While there are many factors that can contribute to a fashion show’s late start time (traffic, delayed deliveries etc.), few boast delays over 10 minutes, leading some people to speculate that it was a deliberate move on Jacobs’ part in a bid to prevent people from going to Rihanna’s show as “sabotage”.

“Priceless: Rumours that Marc Jacobs held his 6pm show late tonight to spite Rihanna - by making people miss her 7:30pm Fenty show - for taking his NYFW closing time slot,” wrote journalist Christina Binkley on Twitter.

Others accused the designer of trying to “spite” Rihanna for taking his closing spot on the schedule.

Some users posted photographs of the front row at Marc Jacobs on Twitter, which revealed a number of empty seats, suggesting that editors left prior to the show beginning to ensure they made it in time for Rihanna’s show.

While it’s unclear as to why Jacobs’ show was running so late, The Cut’s Emilia Petrarca thinks it might’ve been due to a sartorial crisis rather than a rivalry, writing that sewing machines were spotted being carried into the venue at the time the show was due to begin.

Meanwhile, images have circulated online of an apologetic comment posted by Marc Jacobs on Instagram following the show, in which the fashion designer lists a number of reasons why it started so late - and none mention Rihanna.

“After years of being beyond punctual and once again, with every intention of remaining so, the fact is, more is always expected from us with fewer and fewer resources,” he wrote.

“That is not unique to me personally or us as a company. I have learned that I need to adjust our realities.”

The designer described his plans to begin on time as “wishful thinking” and revealed that he was aware things would run late at 3.30pm on the day of the show.

“I think we all have to be a little more sensitive and flexible to the fragile state of the live experience,” he concluded.

Jacobs has since posted the same comments on his own Instagram account in a post illustrated with an image of the designer's face imposed onto a cartoon of Alice in Wonderland's infamous White Rabbit below the words: "I was late, I was late for a very important date."