The 1, 722-square-foot shop is an elegant study in wood, lacquer, glass and leather, and features a feminine enclave for the brand's growing ready-to-wear collection that "doesn't exist in any other U. S. store, " said Stephanie Disegni, chief executive for Longchamp North America.

 hermes store

Disegni added that the boutique's design showcases the brand's newest store concept, which launched last year in New York.

Jacobs doesn't have the jet-setter image that some of his peers do. Photos don't surface of his long holidays in the Caribbean or treks in exotic places, and he's not a staple of the red carpet or the charity circuit. One thinks of Jacobs as the quirky downtown guy, even if he's at the forefront of two mega brands — his namesake collection, plus Louis Vuitton and all the subsidiaries that go with it, including the contemporary-priced Marc by Marc Jacobs line, swimwear, sunglasses, shoes and handbags.

Image: Designer Marc Jacobs, left, and model Helena Christensen

Suzanne Plunkett  /  AP

Designer Marc Jacobs, left, arrives with model Helena Christensen at the 2002 Council of Fashion Designers of America awards on June 3, 2002.

 

He sleeps with Post-It notes and a pen at his bedside to jot down the barrage of thoughts, inspirations and reminders that come between what are essentially naps, but organized with lists and schedules he is not, Jacobs says with a laugh.