Marc Jacobs 50 years old and fitter than ever!

50 years old and fitter than ever! As Marc Jacobs celebrates landmark birthday, his transformation from overweight geek to fashion's hottest designer

Marc Jacobs has never looked better than he did this weekend as he celebrated his 50th birthday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The fashion designer, whose birthday is on Tuesday, flaunted his toned and tattooed body as he frolicked on the beach with his equally buff porn star boyfriend Harry Louis, who proudly posted a picture of his muscular beau on Instagram.

While he looks fantastic for his age now, Mr Jacobs has undergone quite the transformation since the beginning of his career, when his disheveled appearance included unkempt hair, baggy clothes and a considerably heftier build.

He's HOW old? An extremely toned Marc Jacobs looked in better shape than ever as he celebrated his 50th birthday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this weekend

Back in the Nineties, the New York native began his fashion career by designing for sportswear label Perry Ellis.

 

While he did not show off his body in those days, even under clothes he appeared visibly less muscular than he is now, and his tattoos were not yet apparent.

In the past: In 2003, the designer was so disheveled that he looks almost unrecognizable now

In 1992, Mr Jacobs showed his 'grunge' collection for the label. 

To reflect the times, as well as his collection, Mr Jacobs sported long shaggy hair, a broody stare and baggy clothes - a far cry from his trim, polished look of today.

And towards the end of the decade, the designer began to appear noticeably disheveled and out-of-shape.

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, he recalled: 'I never took care of my appearance. I was like, "Who cares? I'm in the studio 16 hours a day, and nobody sees me."'

Even in 2005, Mr Jacobs appeared more geek than chic.

His signature look at the time included large framed glasses, a slight double chin and floppy, unkempt hair.

But a year later, the designer finally decided to change his lifestyle.

'I had 20per cent body fat,' he said in the interview, adding that at the time he was eating nothing but junk food.

He began following the advice of a nutritionist, who told him to cut out caffeine, sugar, white flour and dairy, and to exercise every day.

Birthday suit: Now, Mr Jacobs is proud to show off his toned body. For Bang, his signature fragrance, the designer posed nude with just the bottle of cologne covering his lap

In the Nineties: Mr Jacobs sported long locks and baggier clothes at the beginning of his career in 1990 (left). Eight years later (right) the designer was slim, but showed no signs of the muscly physique he displays today

Disheveled: In 2001 the New York native appeared visibly plumper, and his look was decidedly unkempt. 'I never took care of my appearance,' he told Harper's Bazaar

The designer, who had rarely set foot in a gym, scrubbed up, began sporting a buzz cut and grew out his stubble, marking the beginning of his transformation into how he looks today.

'I never took care of my appearance. I was like, "Who cares?"'

'When I went from 21per cent body fat to 5per cent body fat and I had muscle, I was like, "This is great!"' he told the magazine.

And in 2009, with his confidence clearly on the rise, Mr Jacobs began wearing tighter and brighter clothes to highlight his newly-toned physique.

When his body began attracting the attention of other men, it only boosted his self-image further. At that point, he says, 'It was hard to keep my clothes on, actually.'

Geek chic: While Mr Jacobs cleaned up well up for runway appearances in 2005 (right), he still displayed a heftier build (left) and looked older than his 42 years

Transformation: In 2006 (right) the designer, who says he was then 21per cent body fat, took the advice of a nutritionist and began to take care of himself. A year later (right), he looked like a completely new person

The new Marc: In 2008, the designer looked trim and confident, having cut his messy hair, grown out his stubble and experimented with different fashion looks

Which explains his most recent ad campaigns, in which the designer strips off most - or all - of his clothes to show off his impeccable physique.

For Bang, his signature fragrance, Mr Jacobs posed nude with just the bottle of cologne covering his lap.

'Once I agreed to be the model, I couldn't see what I would wear to express this,' the designer told WWD. 'We tried it with clothes, but it didn't work.'

And as the new creative director for Diet Coke, he again stripped off his shirt, revealing his toned biceps and colorful tattoos for the soda's ad campaign.

Feeling good: And in 2009, with his confidence clearly on the rise, Mr Jacobs began wearing tighter clothes and brighter colors to highlight his newly-toned pecs and biceps

In the buff: Once his body began attracting the attention of other men, 'It was hard to keep my clothes on,' says Mr Jacobs, who stripped off for a Diet Coke ad as the soda's new creative director

One of the tattoos adorning Mr Jacobs' buff body is the word 'shameless', written on his torso.

And as far as stripping off is concerned, he certainly has nothing to be ashamed about.

'You know, I'm going to be 50 in two months, so I guess I should be glad,' he admitted to WWD in February. 'It feels like the decade of me taking my shirt off.'