Prompts winter weather advisories as cold air moves in Friday night

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Consider this your warning: There could be mayhem at Target stores this Sunday. That's when the retailer's latest limited edition designer collaboration, Lilly Pulitzer for Target, hits the racks. 

Affordable designer collaborations are the new Beatlemania. Or One Direction Mania, depending on your generation. 

Recent Target collaborations

"People like the idea of designer fashion at an accessible price point," said Allison Kaplan, senior editor of shopping and style for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. "It's democratizing something ... that seems out of reach."

Target pioneered the concept of designer partnerships with 

 more than 15 years ago and continues to look for ways to put a spin on the model, a spokesperson said. To date, the retailer has collaborated with more than 150 designers in various partnerships. 

Some are bona fide hits (see: Missoni). Others miss the bulls-eye (see: Neiman Marcus). But along the way, Target has learned and evolved with its shoppers. 

It's no coincidence that the Lilly Pulitzer collection is hitting stores now — or that any collaboration arrives when it does.

Lilly's 250-piece collection features the resort wear brand's signature colorful prints and patterns and includes apparel, accessories and shoes for women and girls, as well as home accents, travel essentials and outdoor entertaining accessories — there's even a hammock. It's all perfectly timed for spring and summer, when consumers are thinking about sunny skies, the beach and fun in the back yard. 

 collection that was released in September 2014 was geared toward providing shoppers with fall pieces to freshen up their wardrobes. 

 collection, timed for the holidays last year, allowed consumers to buy gifts but also tap into the season of charitable giving. Each item purchased resulted in the donation of meals, blankets and shoes to those in need. 
 

Timing also proved to be a big factor in 2012's partnership with 

 it was ill-timed during the holiday season — it debuted after Black Friday and was still full-priced when shoppers were looking for last-minute bargains. 

 in 2006 featuring Luella Bartley, pieces rolled out bit by bit over a longer period of time. 

But guests wanted to see everything at once, said Jessica Carlson, a Target spokesperson. Now, an entire collection is available on the same day. 

Target also listened to shoppers for the Lilly collection. This is the first design partnership to offer plus-size clothes since the 

"We've heard from our guests that they loved to see plus-size offerings within our designer collaborations, so we've included it with this collection, available on Target.com," Carlson said. 

Even when Target has made a misstep, some say it hasn't really been a failure because of the buzz. 

The Missoni partnership in 2011 was so popular that it 

 the day it launched, which irked many. Shoppers lined up outside stores hours before doors opened and racks were picked clean soon after. 

The retailer learned from its mistakes and invested resources to improving its site, the 

But overall, Missoni's overwhelming success means it's still considered a benchmark for collaborations.  

Similarly, people are still talking about the Target + Neiman Marcus misfire more than two years later. In addition to the timing problem, the retailer also blamed inventory overload and high prices. 

"There's been a lot written about the economics of it, that the product didn't move, but look at how much buzz they got," Kaplan said. "It's really about marketing. They're getting tons of press so they're happy." 

Buzz surrounding the Lilly Pulitzer collection has been mostly positive — but even the early negative rumblings have been a hit. Some fashion mavens were (still are?) 

 the design house is partnering with such a bourgeois retailer. 


https://twitter.com/southern_sass9/status/552642518224216064

Kaplan said Target is starting to change the way it displays merchandise in stores and suggested it work on better creating a boutique experience for shoppers, especially for limited edition products. 

"A lot of times there's a disconnect between the advertising and the lookbook," she said. "It's all very flashy and looks great but when you walk in the store and see it on an an end cap, the experience doesn't really translate."

Meanwhile, Target hasn't revealed who it is partnering with next, but Carlson promises this with its ongoing collaborations: "It's really about bringing newness and always searching for this sort of next best and beautiful designer," she said.

Business and Economic News

Nancy Yang

Author

Target's latest limited edition designer collaboration, Lilly Pulitzer for Target, hits shelves this Sunday.

Moving Target: The evolution of the designer collaboration

Go Deeper.

Like this?