Fashion
“Marc made me want to be a little grunge girl in Miami.”
By now, you’ve likely seen images from Marc Jacobs’ Feb. 2 runway show at the Park Avenue Armory: the curiously inflated and pinched proportions, the Supremes hair, and the rows and rows of false lashes. But what you definitely couldn’t gauge from the photos was that content creator Tefi Pessoa got ready for the brand’s 40th-anniversary presentation in 45 minutes with a team that whipped up beribboned pigtails and colorful eyeliner to complement her trumpet-skirt look (worn with Kiki boots, naturally).
Below, Pessoa brings NYLON inside her apartment, where she prepped with her cat Margelina Jolie for a night of Diana Ross-meets-dollhouse fashion — and some unexpected relationship drama.
How was the getting-ready process?
I got ready in my apartment’s living room. I landed at JFK at 2:30 p.m. and didn’t get to my apartment until 4 p.m., and I had to be in a car on the way to the show by 4:45 p.m. on the dot. It was a crazy rushed, but we did it. We usually do everything in silence and then 30 minutes in I go, “Oh sh*t, I forgot to put on music.” And everyone’s like, “Whatever, let’s just keep going.” But yeah, we do it in silence and I play TikToks on my phone. Sometimes if I’m in hair and makeup for an event I’ll get everyone dumplings, but this time I was too stressed to even sip water.
Describe your look for the night. How did wearing it make you feel?
I usually keep things very neutral, but for Marc Jacobs we wanted to get a little quirkier, so we went with pigtails and blue eyeliner. I felt very futuristic, but when you do a look you’re not used to, it’s easy to overthink and wonder if you look weird. But [my makeup artist] Tegan Rice always kills it and my team would never let me out the door looking crazy, so I was already used to the eyeliner after 10 minutes. Sometimes when I do pigtails I worry I look like a little girl, but I think it went perfectly with the fit.
Marc Jacobs is celebrating its 40th anniversary — what's your earliest memory of the brand?
I remember Marc being in the news for the Perry Ellis show. And then his brand came out and everyone loved it. Marc made me want to be a little grunge girl in Miami. I think he’s so refreshing, I like it when fashion gets silly. One of my favorite collections of his was Spring 1998. I loved all the blue tones. I must have been 8 years old reading Vogue at the cashier line in Publix.
What caught your eye at the show?
The hair! It reminded me of street-style photos of 1970s London. I love a big tease ... hair-wise. The last dress — silver, lots of circular little mirrors — was very, very Diana Ross. Anything Diana Ross I’m pro for. I enjoy how playful Marc Jacobs is. The models wore these little Mary Jane heels [that looked like] if Mary Jane was on acid. It was a nice reminder that this is all just dress-up and should feel fun.
How was the rest of your night post-show?
I went out with my best friend and we went back to her apartment to find her boyfriend in bed with another girl. It was … eventful.
You're known for being able to see the humor in lots of different situations — what's the funniest part about attending Fashion Week?
They want you to drink all this alcohol but never look bloated. How? Every Fashion Week I look like I was stung by 100 bees.
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