Sorry Target, You're Not Cutting It

Dear Decision Makers at Target:

I have a major bone to pick with you since your release of your collaboration with Neiman Marcus that features various members of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America). I'll preface my concern by saying I am normally very pleased when you folks decide to collaborate with designers. I agree it is a great way to give regular people with a love for fashion an opportunity to purchase items from designers they look up to. Your Missoni collaboration last year was well executed and every piece added something special to the overall collection.

I was equally if not more excited when I found out you would be collaborating with Neiman Marcus to make designers I am obsessed with (Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenburg, and Tory Burch) readily available to the American public. But, I have to be honest and say that every designer's pieces left something to be desired.

I am just going to focus on the three designers mentioned above and give you my two cents on the matter:

1. Marc Jacobs: Marc Jacobs is my all time favorite fashion designer. There is no way around the fact that the man is a creative genius. I also believe his attempt at the collaboration was the most genuine. He actually created designs of items similar to those he actually sells in his own line. He came up with a leather pouch (clutch) in gold, rose gold, and gunmetal shades. I appreciate the fact that he used real leather to create his pieces, but the color choices gave both of the gold shades a rather artificial look. And, I think it's a little counterproductive to pay for real leather that looks fake because of the way it is crafted. Also, the fact that the clutch is a pouch, gives it a very pencil case-y look. I can't quite figure it out, but the clutches look like they belong in a bag instead of being stand-alone pieces. Marc Jacobs also designed a black scarf for the collection. Again, it seemed like a genuine effort, but I cannot justify blowing seventy dollars on a solid black scarf that could easily be found elsewhere.

2. Diane von Furstenburg: Ok, what happened here? When I heard Diane von Furstenburg was on the list of designers creating for Target, the first thing that came to mind was the legendary wrap dress silhouette that was birthed by her. I thought for sure she would create some version of that dress or at least gift us with some dupe of her many other amazing silhouettes. But, what did we get instead? A jewelry box and a yoga mat! Really, a yoga mat?! And fifty dollars a piece at that I might add! I just feel like we deserved to see an actual garment from a fashion designer who makes garments instead of a box and a mat in a punchy print.

3. Tory Burch: Alright, last but not least, I think it was a great move to get Tory Burch in on the Target action. She is fairly new to the fashion scene and has been growing in popularity among celebrities and fashion lovers alike. Her fame primarily comes from her classic reva flats and many variations of handbags that both feature the legendary Tory Burch medallion. It would have been really phenomenal to see her incorporate the metal medallion into her Target pieces in some way. Oh well. But, I will add that it was refreshing to see her use one of her most famous prints on both pieces she did for the line (lunch box and beverage container).

Overall, I just feel as if these designer collaborations hurt the image of designers if there pieces do not evoke the same emotions in the customer as do the pieces from their regular lines. I also believe that the designers' talents are not portrayed accurately through collaborations if they are not executed thoughtfully. I think when doing designer collaborations, it is more important to focus on quality and authenticity rather than quantity and speed which I didn't see happening this time around. I really hope there are more collaborations in the future that include pieces that more effectively demonstrate the talents and individuality of the designers involved.

(All images via target.com)