MARC JACOBS HAS BEEN ON GRINDR

Marc Jacobs talks Paper Magazine (via fashionista) about his departure from Louis Vuitton and his visit on the Grindr hookup app.

Given his nonchalance about posing in the buff for various fashion photographers, perhaps it should come as no surprise that Marc Jacobs feels he has little to hide. Still, the designer got particularly personal in an interview with Paper editorial director Mickey Boardman for the debut of a new series in the magazine called "Reserved," in which Boardman chats with various fashion luminaries over a meal.

Paper gave Fashionista an advance look at the transcript, and it seems that a lot can come out over the course of a plate of tagliatelle bolognese. For instance: Jacobs went on Grindr a few times at the encouragement of his ex-boyfriend/the porn star Harry Louis. As himself. Casual.

Boardman: Have you ever been on Grindr or Tinder?

Jacobs: I went on Grindr a couple of times. Well actually, with Harry he was like, “Let’s do a profile on Grindr.” And I did, and I met a couple people.

Boardman: Did you show your face?

Jacobs: I think so.

Boardman: Really?!

Jacobs: Why not! I don't have any hang-ups about those kinds of things. I don't really care. Who's kidding who? I've talked about having hair transplants, I've talked about my drug problems, I've talked about my drinking problems, I've talked about sex. I just think it's so much better to sort of be honest about those things. I always find it very dubious and I don't really trust people who deny human instincts.

Let's pause and just imagine for a hot sec what it would feel like to come across Marc Jacobs on Grindr. As Demi Lovato once sang, "I think I'd have a heart attack."

Boardman, being a professional, also touches on Jacobs's transition out of Louis Vuitton to focus on his own brand. As it turns out, seeing someone else take over wasn't the easiest thing in the world -- understandable given that Jacobs served as creative director of the French fashion house for a good 16 years. Here's what he had to say about that.

Jacobs: I had a hard time looking at it at first. I think I got pretty down and depressed, but I love what Nicolas [Ghesquière] does. I really admire him and I have really great respect for him. I think they wanted a change, and I think the change they made is really good. It would be worse if somebody was doing a similar thing to me. But Nicolas does his thing, and I think it looks good and I get it. So I don't have any problem with it.

Given that most designers would probably give a press-ready response to this type of inquiry, Jacobs's honesty is pretty refreshing. That said, casting the switch as "the decision they made" raises some questions. Is he simply referring to the decision to hire Ghesquiere as his replacement or suggesting that the final call was less up to Jacobs and his partner Robert Duffy than he had previously suggested? Too bad Boardman didn't press the issue much further.