Here's some news that I find fairly incredible, and that reflects the changing face of fashion. Yesterday, Target announced their next designer. " Wait for it, the new Target designer will be luxury fashion brand Missoni. In a Tweet from @Targetstyle, the brand announced, ""Three words: Missoni for Target. Yes, yes. You did read it right -- this September." Yes, Missoni of the zigzig sweaters and knit dresses. According to Target, the collection will arrive in stores in the fall "September 13 through October 22." But there's more; the collection will be a be a wide selection of items offering much more than clothing. There will be 400-plus Missoni for Target pieces. Like the new Calypso St. Barth Collection and Liberty of London before that, Missoni for Target will offer everything from clothes (women's, men's, kids'), to bed sheets, to dinnerware to set the table. Everything will be branded with Missoni's trademark swirls, zigzags, and loud printed florals. "It's been a fantastic experience," says Angela Missoni via Vogue.com "one we are eager to share with families across the United States." The recession does indeed make strange bedfellows.
To me, this is simply a sign of the times. Fashion houses are hurting, and budget collections for Target offer a great way to raise some revenue. Witness Karl Lagerfeld announcing his collection for Macy's, also coming in Fall 2011. Will the average Target shopper know who or what the Missoni brand is? I think not. We'll see how consumers respond and what type of quality Missoni for Target delivers.