Marc by Sofia

Sofia Coppola’s documentary Marc by Sofia is like a scrapbook turned into celluloid; it gives an insider’s view of the fashion world that is personal, passionate, artful, and always insightful. Focusing on the renowned designer, this artistic and uplifting documentary should be embraced by any viewer looking to understand the industry better. Like the 1995 documentary Unzipped, which followed fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, this film made me appreciate the sheer amount of creativity poured into not only fashion design, but the creative process as a whole. It brilliantly captures everything from the high-stakes fashion shows to the intense collaboration involved, ranging from Jacobs’ own creative team of pattern makers and makeup artists to the hair stylists and striking models who bring his artistry to life on the runway.

By centering on such a monumental figure in the fashion industry, Coppola brings her own peculiarities to the project. While it touches on Jacobs’ career and gives insights into his life, the film is certainly more of a chronicle of his artistry—examining his creative processes and inspirations that range from filmmakers like Bob Fosse and Rainer Werner Fassbinder to the classic styles that have left a substantial stamp on the industry for five consecutive decades. Coppola highlights their friendship while examining the roots of his creativity. We learn how films like All That Jazz and The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, alongside the animated wardrobes, hair, makeup, and decor of icons like Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liza Minnelli, helped pave the way for his groundbreaking fashion branding.

Coppola’s documentary offers a compelling and well-made portrait of Jacobs at his creative peak. She examines the past frustrations Jacobs experienced with mixed reviews, contrasting them with the present, where his work has earned immense appreciation. The film is especially insightful when revealing that Jacobs helped design Courtney Love and Winona Ryder’s famous courtroom attire, as well as Paris Hilton’s all-time favorite dress—which she certainly looked stunning in.

Courtesy A24 Films

Structurally, Coppola countdown to Jacob’s 2024 NY Fall fashion show, and we learn that Jacobs said he conceptualizes her work as if he is a Broadway director with his elaborate fashion shows that are often theatrical as we see his models have very particular and grandiose eye lashes and hairstyles that feel otherworldly. Coppola captures his inspirations, his challenges, and how critical he is of his own work where he will begrudge himself for the smallest mistakes. It shows just how collaborate, tedious, and frustrating the process can be, but the exhibitions end up paying off. By the documentaries end, you see Jacob’s own exhaustion on display.

Jacobs is certainly an artist, and Coppola subtly shows how he is such a visionary that he could easily pivot to being a Broadway or film director because of his immense visual talent. He clearly possesses a deep love for cinema; in fact, some of his fashion shows have a distinct sci-fi ether to them. The triumph of this documentary lies in seeing Jacobs share his inspirations, but he also opens up about his personal life, from the loss of his father at a young age to dealing with a verbally abusive stepfather. Coppola could have easily dived deeper into Jacobs’ past—especially his challenges as a gay man living in the 1980s—but because many films have already explored that terrain, she pivots. As always, she remains a refreshing filmmaker who expertly allows unspoken longing to display the emotional state of her subjects.

In contrast, some of the film’s most inspiring and informative moments occur when Coppola shows Jacob’s meeting with current students at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. We watch the students pick his brain and ask for advice, while Jacobs emphasizes that staying true to your unique vision is what ultimately counts, adding that everyone should dress in a way that truly suits them. Through archival footage, the documentary flashes back to Jacobs’ own time at Parsons, highlighting his graduation in 1984 when he won the prestigious Perry Ellis Gold Thimble Award and was named Design Student of the Year.

Courtesy A24 Films

While this could easily be labeled as a “passion project” to keep Sofia Coppola’s creative energy flowing between major productions, there is something profoundly genuine, intimate, and personal about this documentary. It marks Coppola’s very first non-fiction film, yet her signature cinematic sensibilities still channel through beautifully. As she awaits funding for future narrative features, one hopes she continues to make documentaries much like Martin Scorsese and Werner Herzog have seamlessly done throughout their careers.

While watching the film, I was constantly reminded of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread. Just as PTA explored the creative obsessions of dressmaking, Coppola examines Jacobs’ own obsessive attention to detail—from the exact gauges of knitting needles and fabric swatches to selecting the right jewelry, stage props, and even perfecting the nails and eyelashes of his models. The film’s greatest strength is how the 30-year friendship between Sofia and Marc gives the project a deeply personal edge; because both are artists, Coppola is naturally drawn to the perfectionism and anxieties that creators must navigate. Among the film’s strongest segments is when she dives into Jacobs’ legendary 1993 “grunge collection” for Perry Ellis, which feels like a magnificent time capsule over 30 years later. Marc Jacobs has spent decades defining pop-culture milestones, and Coppola has successfully delivered a warm, inviting chronicle of a true creative pioneer.

Marc by Sofia is now playing on VOD Platforms to rent and buy