The New York Times - USA (2020-10-15)

PHOTOGRAPHS BY FARAH AL QASIMI FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

RYE, N.Y. —“Marc is going to be another 40

minutes,” said Nick Newbold, popping his

head into the kitchen of a rental house in

this leafy, yuppie haven in Westchester

County on a Sunday afternoon in late Sep-

tember.

Marc is Marc Jacobs, who was hidden

away in one of the home’s four bedrooms

putting together his look for a portrait se-

ries that started back in June shortly after

lockdown lifted in New York, when British

Vogue commissioned a photo for its Sep-

tember issue.

It’s now become a ritualistic Monday

morning Instagram post celebrating fash-

ion, creativity and positivity. These days,

Mr. Jacobs is all about lifting the spirits and

being of service, as well as enjoying his own

personal fashion expression in which gen-

der norms are completely passé.

In one shot, he’s standing on a stool on the

tennis court in a white shirt — no bottoms —

black tights, pumps and a fedora. In an-

other, he’s seated on the grass in a glamour

scout get-up complete with park ranger hat

(by Stephen Jones) and binoculars. “So

Troop Beverly Hills!” the fashion writer Al-

exander Fury commented. Part of the delay

that Sunday, Mr. Newbold said, was the last-

minute decision to use an open-toe shoe in-

stead of a closed-toe pump, and Mr. Jacobs

now had to do his own pedicure.

Mr. Newbold, a boyish 39, is the photogra-

By JESSICA IREDALE

Looking Out

For Marc Jacobs

CONTINUED ON PAGE D2

NICK NEWBOLD

HELPS KEEP

A FASHION

DESIGNER’S

LIFE ON TRACK.

Marc Jacobs, inset, says

his personal assistant,

Nick Newbold, above,

is “that whisperer that

can understand what

corporate needs and what

creative needs.”

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020D1

Y

FASHION BEAUTY NIGHTLIFE

3 SCARING UP SALES

Spirit Halloween

returns once more, but

the marketplace isn’t

the same. BY EZRA MARCUS

2 STYLES Q. AND A.

Reflections on a model’s life

and career. BY MELANIE ABRAMS

4 UNBUTTONED

Amy Coney Barrett and an

image. BY VANESSA FRIEDMAN

Are We OK? Let’s Ask Social Media

CONTINUED ON PAGE D4

MONIQUE WRAY

Which was the saddest day of them all?
This is the question you may be asking
yourself, surveying the wreckage of 2020
thus far.
There are so many contenders to con-
sider: Was it Thursday, March 12, the day
after Tom Hanks announced he was sick

and the N.B.A. announced it was canceled?

Was it Monday, June 1, the day peaceful pro-

testers were tear gassed so that President

Trump could comfortably stroll to his Bible-

wielding photo op?

Actually, it was neither, according to the

Computational Story Lab of the University

of Vermont. Instead, the lab offers this an-

swer: Sunday, May 31. That day was not

only the saddest day of 2020 so far, it was

also the saddest day recorded by the lab in

the last 13 years. Or at least, the saddest day

on Twitter.

The researchers call it the Hedonometer.

It is the invention of Chris Danforth and his

partner Peter Dodds, both trained math-

ematicians and computer scientists and the

By CASEY SCHWARTZ

In Los Angeles, Josué Thomas creates a street

wear label that doubles as an art project. Page 5.

‘A New Canon of His Own’

MAGGIE SHANNON FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES