When designers go mid-end retail

lucretias

I am the one that I want!
O.G.
Jan 4, 2006
1,995
69
As purse fans, What do y'all think when a designer markets for the mainstream. e.g. Issac Mizrahi, Michael by Michael Kors and most recently Luella Bartley

do the designs intrigue you? What about the quality? Would you consider buying a purse from their lower end of the line?

Luella Bartley is working for Target now and I haven't had a chance to see her items yet, but I love the Giselle.

As Issac Mizrahi, I bought a pair of shoes designed by him from Target, but not anything else....
 
I never find anything from any of these designers when I'm at Target! I think they tend to sell out quickly at my local Target, which is always a zoo. I'm curious to see what the stuff looks like.
 
H&M has done the same thing, last year (or was it the year before) they had Karl Lagerfeld design a collection. This season Stella McCartney did it and the whole collection was GONE within an hour over here.. nuts! I think it's fine that they do it, it helps people who can't afford the regular collections get a piece of it. After all it's limited and doesn't happen all the time. And I would also think that these items aren't as high quality as the designer's other collections, but I might be wrong.
 
I think it gives people the opportunity to buy designer brands that they could otherwise not afford. I like target, I've never bought any clothes or bags from there, but I've bought other random things at good low prices.
 
I am obsessed with Target, I've gotten bathing suits, jewerly, shirts and shoes there! I think it's great that designers do that. As it is, designer anything costs way to much money. It has gotten out of hand, shirts are costing what I make in a month. Bags are worth 4 credits @ my university!!

I think that making beautiful things affordable is a great idea, that way, everyone can carry an authentic bag that they love and deserve. I know tons of people who can only afford target/wal-mart that deserve to carry a beautiful designer bag.
 
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This one is girlish and cute:P
 
I bought an Isaac Mizrahi sweater that I loooove, but it's only a month or so old so we've yet to see how well it holds up. I've never bought anything else from his Target line, the clothes seem to be cut rather short and wide (normal, but doesn't fit me right).
I was pretty pleased to hear that Luella Bartley is doing that collection, but I'm not super impressed with the bags either. I think the star swimsuit is cute though.
 
from WWD:Ps and Qs

Published: Thursday, January 19, 2006
By Alessandra Ilari

MILAN — The debut of McQ, Alexander McQueen's diffusion collection, was never intended to be a traditional champagne-flowing fashion event.

Instead, McQueen re-created Britain's youth club culture, which filled a good part of his teenage past, to present McQ on Tuesday night during the men's shows.

"The idea is a gang of kids hanging around and dancing, dressed in an eclectic Larry Clark [director of the movie ‘Kids'] style," said McQueen, in an exclusive preview at the SINV SpA, the line's manufacturer, showroom here. "The clothes have a very distinct attitude with a nod to English film noir from the Sixties and ‘Georgie Girl.'"

The stage was set up in a sprawling former post office, adjacent to the central station, decorated with vintage leather sofas, a pool table and pinball and Space Invaders video machines. Outside, stands served hot dog and cotton candy, creating a cross between an Andy Warhol Factory and an amusement park. The up-and-coming band Ludes played live.

For the show, besides 25 male and female models, McQueen did a street casting, selecting a crop of kids from around London for their style, ranging from Sixties nostalgia to Rockabilly spunk. Some of their black- and-white portraits will be turned into billboards for New York Fashion Week or fly posters to be pasted around Milan, Paris and London during their respective fashion weeks.

As for the clothes, McQueen described them as "very me."

"While I wear clothes from my signature collection at night or to special events, I would wear McQ every day," said the designer, pointing to his navy wool knit Montgomery coat.

The collection is expected to generate sales of between $60 million to $121 million in three years. The initial retail plan of 600 sales points was revised downward to 400, according to Jonathan Akeroyd, chief executive officer for Alexander McQueen.
"Though this collection will sit next to Miu Miu and Marc by Marc Jacobs, it has a very unique point of view," he added.

The collection includes fabrics such as wool checks, floral printed cottons, leathers, hand knits and over-dye techniques.

McQueen staples such as belted capes, formfitting dresses with crisscross lacing down the front and back and loose shapes over snug bottoms trickled down to the 190-piece collection, which is priced 40 percent below the signature line.

Highlights included a tromp l'oeil group, where blouses made with check and floral combos seem tucked inside a denim miniskirt or slim pants but are in fact one piece, just like the knitted T-shirts with appliquéd long shirt sleeves.

Chunky and loose wool sweaters feature hand-knitted overlay motifs and are tossed over skinny jeans, while metal hardware such as pins, chains and buttons are treated for matte vintage effects and sewn onto denim vests and biker jackets.

Retail prices range from $181 for jeans to $302 for dresses and jackets, but can reach up to $480 for elaborate knitwear.

"In the beginning it was a denim-driven collection but that changed because once I start designing, I just can't stop," chuckled McQueen.
 
i have a short-sleeped isaac sweater from target that i really like. it's a good cut and the material has held up well. i also have two button-downs that i like.