spruced by marlene

“Marlene, there’s a panel discussion with Marc Jacobs in Berlin on May 4th. Would you like to moderate it?”

That’s what it said in the e-mail.

I thought: You’re crazy!
I thought: I’ve never moderated anything before and we’re talking about MARC JACOBS here.
I thought: I have nothing to wear!

Then I replied: “Of course I’ll do it.”

Because how many opportunities will I get to sit knee to knee with a designer whose name I think should be written in caps only? So even though I still can’t quite believe it happened, it really did: I hosted a panel discusssion with Marc Jacobs, when he came to Berlin for the Designer for Tomorrow Award. Me. Surrounded by the five finalists. In front of a good 50 online journalists and bloggers. With note cards. And a headset. Excuse me while I faint.

Sources tell me that I managed not to chew down on my microphone despite my nervousness. However, I have very little memory of what I actually said. But here are some absolutely random observations from that unbelievable morning:

*Marc Jacobs smells like a forest in springtime after a rain shower. Luckily, I had enough sense not to sniff his neck in front of 50 people.

*The man is a professional down to his bleached teeth. The way only a American can be. Question? Answer! And charming, eloquent and entertaining answers at that. No matter what he was asked, he had something amusing to say. Question: “Marc, what will you wear to the Met Ball?” Answer: “A lace dress.”

*Which wasn’t a joke.

*Although to be fair, he also said: “I love attention. People always laugh when I say that. Because it’s honest?”

*He has impressively toned calves. If my calves looked like that I’d wear skirts a lot, too. Although perhaps not that Comme des Garcons lace dress. I might be the only one. The frock is already sold out at Barneys.

*Pulled-up black socks with dress shoes look surprisingly non-ridiculous on an almost 50-year-old man.

*He really is almost 50. “But you look so young.” (Did I really say that? I guess I did). Marc: “My secret: plastic surgery.” (Did he really say that? I guess he did. Although I don’t believe him. I was close enough to see the wrinkles around his eyes)

*Damn, that’s a good manicure! Better than mine. Will anybody notice, if I sit on my hands?

Did I really check out his manicure? I guess I did:

*But why is he using his thumb and a bit of spit to clean a stain out of his skirt? Am I the only one who saw that?

*When I met him again a few hours later, he said: “Oh, it’s you again! I had such fun this morning.”

And this is where I faint again.

Thank you for the pics, Anna-Lena!