A new model army for Marc by Marc Jacobs

The girls in Marc by Marc Jacobs' fashion army exuded girl power in his Autumn/Winter 2014 presentation in New York on Tuesday. Samurai silhouettes along with ninja influences made their way into graphic branded separates, topped with oversized bows and moonboots,

all parading to the soundtrack of Alice in Wonderland.

Marc by Marc Jacobs

is now designed out of London

It was a fierce departure for the label, as the creative helm has been handed over to the Brit pack of Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley. The collections are now being designed out of London and Mr Jacobs has little to do with the design, instead focusing his attentions on his mainline after his exit from Louis Vuitton.

The Marc Jacobs brand has always been about styling and relevance. Ever since Jacob's grunge collection for Perry Ellis, the designer has shown us his knack for bringing youth culture to his collections, seamlessly translating the zeitgeist into a downtown aesthetic, a look that everybody wanted to be and have. In an era of Sonic Youth, Basquiat and streetwear, Jacobs made sophisticated clothes look casual in a good way, from his shrunken cashmere sweaters to his polka dot dresses.

But there has always been a softness to Marc Jacobs, a sense of irony and wit, and this collection designed by Hillier and Bartley, while it ticked all the boxes of reinvigurating a fresh vibe, it was very hard. And Jacobs himself was never hard.

Quirky manifesto graphics like Bunny Hop reminded us that the designes have 'bunnified' most brands they have previously worked with, and was, perhaps, a little self indulgent. The styling, certainly made reference to the authentic Marc Jacobs, with clever layering like a bustier over a turtleneck or a shiny striped sweater tucked into highwaisted trousers and worn with a futurist belt.

Still, Jacobs' disassociation with the creative forces were evident, as he chose to sit on the front row to watch the runway show, rather than participate backstage. The secondary line he started in 2001 has now been fully handed over and his fashion army is marching into a new era.

Images: Marc by Marc Jacobs AW14