Is Marc Jacobs going out of fashion?

Marc Jacobs, once the golden boy of New York fashion week, was under pressure to pull something special from his well-tailored sleeves at his show in the Big Apple on Friday. After a string of poorly received shows last year when Jacobs's poor time-keeping made more of a splash than the clothes, and a less-than-enthusiastic response to his diffusion range shown in New York (above left) earlier in the week, he had some ground to make up with critics.

Matters were not been helped with revelations in the New York Post on Thursday that Marc Jacobs's company is under investigation for bribery. The case relates to $30,000 in 'bribes' allegedly paid by Mark Jacobs International to James Jackson, the Armory administrator, to 'hold' the Armory space for him. Jackson was indicted last week with 31 felony counts and a spokesman for New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo confirmed: "Marc Jacobs International is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation by the Attorney General." A Jacobs spokeswoman said that Friday's Armory show would go on, "under the full knowledge and consent of the Attorney General's Office".

The styles making headlines at New York Fashion week have generally been at odds with the grungy look Jacobs shot to fame with in the 1990s. Maria Cornejo evoked 1980s 'power dressing' with bright colours and strict tailoring, while Philip Lim showed dresses and skirts in plain grey wool (above right) or denim that came down to the midcalf, a length not popular since the Eisenhower era. As the New York Times put it, the "Hillary Clinton look" is in.