For the most part fashion shows are held on stark, white runways that serve one main purpose: to present the clothes to buyers and the press. Sometimes, labels will juxtapose a vibrant background against the looks — Chris Benz included a shimmering gold backdrop at his presentation and  Y-3 projected a clear blue sky behind the models. Others hire a marquee name — Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld called on architect Zaha Hadid — to design an elaborate set.

Marc Jacobs tapped his friend, sculptor Rachel Feinstein, to design what she told Style.com was “a broken castle. Marie Antoinette’s version of ruins,” for his fall/winter 2012 show last night. The breathtakingly immense construction paper scenery, complete with a fountain in the middle of the runway, served as an elegant backdrop for Jacobs’s collection. Subtle blue lighting illuminated the white set, which was rich with texture and depth. Sure, the collection, inspired by eccentric fashion journalists Anna Piaggi and Lynn Yaeger — think pilgrim-style rhinestone-buckle shoes, large furry Dr. Seuss-like hats by Stephen Jones, and lots of holographic embellishments and sparkly trims — was interesting to look at, but the real star of the show was Feinstein’s set.

Click on the slide show to see highlights from Marc Jacobs's fall/winter 2012 collection.

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