Marc Jacobs and Sofia Coppola Attend ‘Marc by Sofia’ Screening

Adding another dimension to the immersive experience, the Friends of the Costume Institute hosted an exclusive screening of “Marc by Sofia” Tuesday night with Marc Jacobs and Sofia Coppola.

At the low-key event, attendees got a first glimpse in the new documentary that sheds light on the mountain of work, thought and endurance that goes into developing a Marc Jacobs collection and runway show. A few of the designer’s collaborators nodded and laughed knowingly at different points in the film. The filmmaker mined a trove of archival material, including footage from Jacobs’ senior runway show at Parsons School of Design. There is also a slew of backstage, in-the-studio, and on-the-runway material, but some of the most insightful parts are often what Jacobs has to say and his exchanges with the director. From speculating that what scares people the most is anything natural (which can’t be emulated) to advising never listen to a designer, especially a man designer, Jacobs is direct.

Whether being inspired by Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels, stacking wigs upon wigs for a potential runway look or perfecting mascara with traces of velvet, Jacobs’ consideration comes across loud and clear. The immediacy and inventiveness of what he does — however many ideas that may be part of that — is also in focus. At one point, he recalled running into a friend on the subway [in 1989], who asked why he would be riding the subway, when one of his Perry Ellis dresses was on the cover of Vogue. Coppola has her own throwback moments including a clip of her and Spike Jonze explaining how they helped to orchestrate a fashion show on the streets of SoHo in 1994 for the label X-Girl.

Welcoming the crowd, Mugrabi reminded them how “Marc by Sofia” recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival and how it is represents a 30-plus-year friendship between the designer and the filmmaker. Coppola and Jacobs were playing to a knowing crowd.

Coppola said, “This is the ideal audience to see it. I’m so excited for our first screening in New York and that you guys are here. It was such a fun experience to follow Marc around in the studio and some of the stars of the film are here tonight,” naming Joseph Carter, Alastair McKimm and Grace Coddington, who made a cameo. Erin Tinsley, Sarah Rosen, Patrick Seabase, Allison Sarofim, Beth Buccini, Carl Adams, Brian Jones, Chris Fuller, Cristi Silva, Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo and Devin Finzer were among the guests.

Coppola added, “Everyone at Marc’s studio was so gracious in letting me follow them around.”

Before the A24 film got rolling, Coppola mentioned how much fun it was to look through a box of archival photos of so many of Marc’s collections “that I have worn and loved over the years.” During the film, viewers saw time and again just how meticulous the designer and his team are in executing his designs and runway shows. That exactingness must have been appreciated to the audience, considering that the Friends of the Costume Institute is an invited group of patrons that provide critical support to the Met and the Costume Institute. There are also glimpses of Pharrell Williams, who praised Jacobs’ work at Louis Vuitton especially the Takashi Murakami collaboration for being a magnet for others.

During the cocktails, the Costume Institute’s curator in charge Andrew Bolton chatted about how the Friends of the Costume Institute has developed, since starting out as a core group of five or so in 2002. Over the years, the program has developed, thanks primarily to the co-chairs Wendi Murdoch and Colby Mugrabi, who mingled with guests before the lights went down at Metrograph. Just as the group’s base as increased to more than 100 people, its gatherings have evolved too beyond BTS visits to the Met. Those supporters have also contributed approximately 80 percent of the Costume Institute’s acquisitions, according to Bolton. Each season the aim is to do at least one screening, with last year’s selection having been “High & Low — John Galliano.”

Showing the film at Metrograph was an easy choice. Bolton said, “Sofia and Marc are so downtown so it seemed to make sense to have it here.”

Once the final credits on “Marc by Sofia” had rolled, Jacobs stopped to greet a few colleagues on the way out including Carter. He said, “That was fun, right? I’ll see you tomorrow.”