There is a small world of people who are very interested in contemporary art and a slightly bigger world of people who look at contemporary art. But then there is a much larger world that doesn't realise how influential art is on things that they actually look at.

In addition Jacobs oversaw the design of the various women's licensees. In the course of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin in July 2011 Jacobs was the patron of the young talent award “Designer for Tomorrow by Peek & Cloppenburg”. In 1987 Jacobs was the youngest designer to have ever been awarded the fashion industry's highest tribute the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Perry Ellis Award for "New Fashion Talent".

He is the head designer for Marc Jacobs as well as Marc by Marc Jacobs a diffusion line with more than 200 retail stores in 80 countries. Jacobs was on Time Magazine's "2010 Time 100" list of the 100 most influential people in the world and ranked 14th on Out Magazine's 2012 list of "50 Most Powerful Gay Men and Women in America".