When Winona Ryder's kleptomania became marketing

The long-standing friendship between Winona Ryder and Marc Jacobs was born in a bizarre way, out of a $5,000 theft on Saks Fifth Avenue. It's 2001 and Winona is at the height of her fame, an acclaimed actress and androgynous style icon who, amidst men's suits and rock band t-shirts, has conquered the hearts of all the young indie women of the time, while her roles in films such as Edward Scissorhands, Broken Girls and The Crucible contribute to the sad, grunge allure that has accompanied her since her early days. In the same year, however, we discover that the sadness portrayed on screen, the actress really felt it when, after stealing over $5,000 worth of designer goods, she was diagnosed with kleptomania, anxiety disorders and depression.

Following a six-day trial that held media and fans in suspense, the star was found guilty of aggravated theft and vandalism, a three-year probation sentence, 480 hours of community service, a hefty fine, and a setback for a career at its peak. However, it is said that every cloud has a silver lining. One of the stolen items was a $760 Marc Jacobs cashmere jumper, as well as one of the full looks worn by the star during the trial: a burgundy-coloured midi dress with a retro-looking collar paired with a pair of virginal Mary Jane's. It was from that dress that Mark's friendship, professional and private, was born.

«All her dresses and skirts went around her knees with elegance. They were always buttoned up and even severe, but never had an arrogant air. And how could they, when paired with one of her elegant headbands? And the Marc Jacobs dress - the one from the autumn 2001 collection, with the contrasting trompe l'oeil collar - was particularly apt. It was so stately and refined, so serious. And it was a year old, as if to suggest to the members of the jury that they were dealing with a frugal young woman, not an indulgent actress» said an article in the Washington Post at the time.

There is something about courtrooms that turns all celebrities with legal problems into good women in chaste dresses, as was the case for Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan a few years later. Perhaps it was an attempt to convince the jury of her own redemption or a sincere desire to look her best in front of the swarm of paparazzi that promptly besieged the courtroom, the fact is that throughout the trial «Ryder wore soft, flowing skirts - nothing too tight - with delicate details such as lace and embroidery. Her clothes announced, loudly and repeatedly, her delicacy, fragility and innocence.» From the mannish style that had distinguished her, Winona's courtroom looks became hyper-feminine, almost 'naïve' - «She may be a shoplifter, but she has impeccable taste» wrote Robin Givhan in the pages of the Post.

Giorgio Armani, Saint Laurent, John Galliano, knee-length skirts, Mary Jane's and thick headbands in full 1950s style and to top it all off the iconic purple sheath dress already mentioned. There was no way the designer didn't notice Ryder's little homage to him and in fact, in a move as daring as it was ingenious, he promptly proposed to the actress to be the face of his new spring-summer 2003 advertising campaign. «I asked Winona because I thought she looked beautiful in all those pictures we've seen recently, regardless of the fact that they were taken during a trial» said Marc Jacobs, receiving a bouquet of flowers and a card that read «I'm so happy you asked me. It is a great honour» in response. 

From Juergen Teller's heroin-chic shots in a hotel room, to the 2015 launch of Marc Jacobs Beauty, Winona Ryder has become the face of a brand that, like her, has been able to fuse femininity with grunge in a credible and successful mix, from vertiginous, chunky platform heels to voluminous, avant-garde skirts. An iconic look that has remained crystallised in the temple, from premieres with then-boyfriend Johnny Depp (who also tattooed I love Winona for her, now changed to I love Wino) to red carpets with her pixie cut, thanks also to archival instagram pages such as @cabmate and @90sanxiety that have made her eternally young on our feeds. And, now that the actress's psychiatric problems have been amped up and she's back on the scene with Star Trek first and Strangers Things later, the designer has done it again, casting her in another campaign for the J Marc Shoulder Bag. "My Winona ❤️" Jacobs commented underneath a video of Ryder's photo shoot posted on social media, because while the showbiz world has long disowned her, labelling her as someone 'too emotionally fragile to be in the star system', Marc has always believed in her.