Surprise Choices: Target Taps Rodarte
For Holiday Collection
For Holiday Collection
August 5, 2009
In case you were wondering what had happened to Target's Go International designer collections, this morning brings the news that the program still exists, and will return on December 20th through February 6th with a 55 piece collection from Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte.
The program has been overshadowed lately by Target's Designer Collaboration lines which focus on more established brands like Alexander McQueen and Anna Sui, but Go International still exists and will continue to showcase emerging and independent talents like the Mulleavy sisters..
As for the actual collection, most will be watching with great interest to see how the sisters will transform the aesthetic of their delicate, intricately constructed and typically breathtakingly priced handmade confections to sportswear pieces retailing from $9.99 to $79.99.
This is not the Mulleavy's first foray into mass-market collaborations. They collaborated with the Gap a couple of years ago as part of its Design Editions white shirt program, but this collection will be much more extensive.
“What you’ll notice is an amazing eye for detail,” Target spokesman Joshua Thomas tells WWD. “It’s very feminine, yet very modern. The
collection incorporates a rich mix of patterns and fabrications and
everything from sequins and bows to faux fur. The key with Rodarte is
layering.”
Perhaps it is a signal that Rodarte may be looking ahead to expand its scope beyond the rarefied parameters it has set for itself thus far. Though the sisters won this year's CFDA Award for Designer of the Year and are beginning to get more Red Carpet attention, their company remains small with a limited output, and the designers are still seen by many as press darlings who have yet to make a greater public impact. Is a more accessible and commercially sustainable version of the label is in the works for the future?
Rodarte a 'Go' With Target by Sharon Edelson (WWD)
Rodarte (Official Site)
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