I Went to Heaven (By Marc Jacobs)
And all I got was Bhad Babie's gender reveal, pink metallic Kiki Boots, and a soccer turf.
Bears, bongs, babies, and blokettes seem to be the underlying inspiration for Heaven by Marc Jacobs’ latest campaign, created in collaboration with New York fashion label BARRAGÁN. The whole thing originally felt so nonsensical, so obscenely random that it was good. If you’re wondering what the connection is there, you’re not alone—read on to witness some light investigative journalism (that has not been fact-checked in any way but is fun to believe regardless).
It’s important to note that not just any baby came to mind when mood-boarding for this collab, but Bhad Babie’s babie. The campaign served not only as a collection reveal; it also functioned as a gender reveal via pink motorcycle exhaust and metallic Kiki boots. “💗ITS🎀A💓GIRL💖,” wrote the social media sensation in her Instagram post that unveiled the news. Congratulations to Bhad Babie on having a girl, and congratulations to the two designers on having conjured up such a Frankensteinian concept.
Bhad Babie’s presence in a Heaven campaign is so on brand for the label, having previously tapped the likes of Liv Tyler, Bella Hadid, Lil Uzi Vert, Ethel Cain, Ice Spice, Bladee, and Charli XCX to front product launches. It’s the presence of her on a soccer turf, under floodlights, in a locker room, standing holding her belly on the sideline as models/players in jerseys dribble behind her, that is so outlandishly interesting to me. (Those jerseys are gorgeous, collared and paneled, and the perfect shades of green and blue mesh but $250. Might I suggest the purchase of Extra Time Magazine’s sexy two-toned limited edition top for those in search of a good-looking jersey for a very reasonable $75).
The garments themselves are a fresh take on the tired Heaven lineup—an array of mildly soccer-inspired tops, knit dresses, star hoodies, foil pants, short skirts, bong and ball-adorned earrings, and heavily branded goods. It’s colorful, nostalgic, and evocative in a way that speaks far more to the ethos of BARRAGÁN—who grew up in the prismatic and soccer-obsessed Mexico City—than Marc Jacobs. But it’s extortionate in a way that few things that borrow from the beautiful game should be—a qualm I have about all designer sportswear and not limited to this collaboration.
“Marc Jacobs’ team reached out to have me shoot for Heaven and it was right before the pregnancy had leaked so they didn’t know,” said Ms. Babie in a statement. “When they found out they really wanted to do it still and I did too so we made it happen. It was a quick turnaround but I love how it came out. We thought it would be cool to try and do a gender reveal with the images so we had some fun with it. I’m really just enjoying this whole experience and grateful I have these amazing pictures to share with my daughter one day.”
I wonder what her daughter will think. She, like me, might be wondering if soccer is important to Bad Bhabie, whose government name is Danielle Bregoli. Well, per this running discourse thread, it might have been. “So the Cashmeousside girl, Danielle Bregoli lives near me in Boynton Beach, FL. My daughter played soccer with her. The girl dropped out of school in 7th grade but she was one of the most talented athletes I had ever seen at that age. Both her parents ran mid-D in college and I have seen her crush some 400 and 800s on the track,” wrote a user.
This is amazing, and there’s no way that either Marc Jacobs or Victor Barragán considered this in any way when they asked her to be their campaign star. But it matters to me. Danielle Bregoli, the athlete that could have been. Maybe her unborn daughter will don a USWNT jersey one day, and this is all by design. An easter egg of sorts. But that’s all speculation. One thing I can (somewhat confidently) say is that as it turns out, Marc Jacobs x BARRAGÁN is a soccer-inspired collection fronted by a middle school soccer star. How ‘bout that?
