The Heaven by Marc Jacobs Archive Sale Attracted NYC’s Best-Dressed

Skyli Alvarez

Ask any young fashion-loving New Yorker what they did last weekend, and chances are you’d get a similar answer: the Heaven by Marc Jacobs archive sale. From Friday, August 23, through Sunday, August 25, the cult-favorite fashion line, launched by Marc Jacobs in 2020, set up shop at 101 Seventh Avenue, in collaboration with Barragán, Eckhaus Latta, Vaquera, Mowalola, and Sandy Liang. The sale offered two floors worth of statement accessories, home decor, and clothing, including Heaven press-on nails, sold-out Wong Kar Wai collab necklaces, and limited amounts of Kiki boots.

Teens up since 4:00 a.m. and twentysomethings on lunch break wrapped around the old Barneys New York flagship, tag-teaming coffee runs and typing out last-minute remote work emails. Exhausted shoppers balanced matte black Marc bags on each arm, brushing shoulders with cosplayers on their way to Anime NYC. At any given moment, multiple 20-year-olds were explaining Heaven to puzzled tourists.

If the sale was hotly anticipated, those in line did not disappoint. Part-third space, part-fashion show to see and be seen at by other Marc enthusiasts, the queue became an event in its own right, bearing witness to endless chatter just before the sample sale survivalism kicked in.

Each time the department store doors swung open, bass-forward remixes and an endless loop of Troye Sivan and Courtney Love songs got a little louder as if to lure in the next batch of shoppers. From die-hard Heavenheads to friends just looking for a reason to enjoy nice weather, Teen Vogue spoke with those in line about the line, their outfits, and all things Heaven.

Jupiter Genesis, 23, DJ

TV: How long have you been in the line?

Jupiter Genesis: Since like 10:20 a.m. I feel like I should have gotten here earlier, but I wanted to sleep.

TV: Are there specific pieces you’re looking for today?

JG: I’m really interested in the earlier collections from Heaven. I love — I’m obsessed — with Heaven, and there are a couple of specific dresses I’m looking for, and maybe a Sandy Liang skirt.

TV: Do you often go to sample sales?

JG: Actually, no. I love shopping. I love clothes, but I usually buy online. I kind of get nervous going outside to sample sales, but this, I couldn’t miss this. I feel like I’ve become a Heaven collector in a way. Every day I search online to see what’s out there and what [new] pieces I can look for. When I got the email that Heaven was doing this sale, I was like, “I have to go.”

TV: What’s your dream Heaven piece?

JG: I know this isn’t something they’re selling, but I would love to have one of the LED logos Heaven hangs in its stores.

TV: Tell me a bit about your Heaven collection.

JG: The first piece I ever bought was from the first collection. I searched for it online for maybe a year and a half, then bought it off eBay from someone random. I also have this purse that my favorite filmmaker, Gregg Araki, signed…It was literally one of the best days of my life. There was a tiny reception for his Teen Apocalypse Trilogy rerelease [and] my partner and I were among the last people to talk to Gregg before he left. He gave me a Nowhere pin from his pocket and signed my bag. I cherish it forever.

Julia Ho, 29, UX Designer and Vissy Hoffie, 28, Artist

TV: How long have you been in line?

Julia Ho: Embarrassingly long. We’ve just been gossiping with each other, catching up. We haven’t seen each other in two days.

Vissy Hoffie: But so much happens in a short amount of time.

TV: How long have you been friends?

JH: Online for four years, but we met in real life last summer.

VH: It was so seamless [and] felt like we had known each other the whole time.

TV: Describe your friendship in one word.

JH: Nice. It’s hard to make friends in your late twenties because everyone, for the most part, has their circles and their careers. I’m relatively new to the city and Vissy’s trying to move here too, so it’s really refreshing to have a good friendship.

TV: How would you say you influence each other’s styles?

JH: Through subtle forms of inspiration. I really love what Vissy’s wearing today and immediately asked her about it.

VH: Each time I see Julia, I also ask her about the whole outfit. It’s cool seeing the way your friends express themselves and getting to learn about new designers or places they [shop].

TV: What’s the most questionable style phase you’ve gone through?

JH: I would say the 2014-pastel-Tumblr-grunge era with a lot of cheap faux plastic leather. I didn’t know what my style was, so sometimes it was completely vintage and other times it was a Rick Owens rip-off.

VH: There was this weird period in high school where I had that pastel phase, and when I became more interested in guys, I threw all that to the floor and started wearing heinous clubbing outfits that [lacked] experimentation.

TV: Are there particular items you hope to find in the archive sale?

VH: I’m from Australia, so I only see a lot of these brands online. It’s always cooler to see them in person and be able to [get] the material feel of clothes. I’m not looking for anything and I definitely don't need anything really either. But ask me when I’m in there, the story may change.

Sophia Wilson, 24, Fashion Photographer

TV: How early did you get up for the sale?

Sophia Wilson: Just now. I live pretty close, but I was here a few days ago because I came for the friends and family preview.

TV: Tell me about the preview.

SW: It was great, I spent a lot of money.

TV: What was your favorite thing you bought there?

SW: A sequin minidress.

TV: Where are you going to wear it?

SW: I wore it last night.

TV: What are you wearing now?

SW: I’m wearing a ‘90s Gaultier dress, some Adidas I got in Stockholm, and the Heaven bag and necklace I got at the preview.

TV: How would you describe your outfit in one word?

SW: Badass.

TV: Is the matcha an accessory?

SW: Yeah, the matcha is the most important accessory.

TV: What are you going to do after the sale?

SW: Get a massage, go to a party, work.

AJ Grove, 21, Fashion Stylist

TV: When did you get here?

AJ Grove: I got here at eight [a.m.], so around two-and-a-half hours [ago]. Hopefully it’s worth it…None of my friends wanted to come, they did not want to wait in line, but I’m proud of myself. I didn't think I was going to do it.

TV: What are you hoping to find?

AG: I’m just going to go through the Mowalola section. It was just my birthday, so this is my treat to myself.

TV: Tell me about the outfit you’re wearing today.

AG: I have vintage Moto boots on, as well as a plaid shirt from my favorite vintage store in my hometown, and some sunglasses from Dollar Tree. My friend did my makeup for my birthday two days ago [and] I still have that on. I slept in it two days straight.

TV: What’s in your bag?

AG: This is my city bag. I haven’t emptied it out since my birthday. There’s everything in here: Advil, my digital camera, a Celsius I already drank, wired headphones, fashion tape, gum.

TV: As a stylist, where do you draw inspiration?

AG: I always think of what I’m seeing on the streets, I love looking at people’s outfits. This line has been so fun because I get to see people walk past and it’s giving me so much inspiration [for] pieces to mix and blend together.

Ilana Zlotnikgebura, 24, Veterinary Student

TV: How long have you been waiting in this line?

Ilana Zlotnikgebura: An hour and a half, but I wouldn’t have been waiting here for an hour and a half if I didn’t meet my friend along the way.

TV: What are you most excited to find today?

IZ: Anything? I don’t have my heart on a specific item. I feel like whenever I go shopping, I just find something I don’t expect to fall in love with. But I hope to find a little baby tee.

TV: Tell me about what you’re wearing.

IZ: This is all thrifted. I’m wearing a lot of gold accessories, I just put on everything gold that I have. I got the magnifying necklace for a dollar. It’s an old Avon gift for if you sold a lot of their makeup – somebody’s grandma’s for sure.

TV: Are you a silver and gold jewelry mixer?

IZ: Yes. They’re both shiny, the more the merrier. I just think of the shapes of the jewelry [plus] it works if they both have different jewels, colors, or diamond inlay.

TV: Who’s your style muse?

IZ: Other people in the street. That’s what I like about being in the city: I’ve never walked out and thought I was the most interestingly-dressed person I saw that day.

Below, see what other wonderfully interestingly dressed people wore at the Heaven archive sale:

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue