GO. InternationalWhat: Target’s GO. International line, a catalyst for the democratization of fashion in today’s culture. Who: Target partners with leading international designers to offer affordable luxury to the everyday consumer. So far, the corporation has launched collections from Alice Temperley, Proenza Schouler, Behnaz Sarafpour and Luella Bartley. Shop: Browse the GO. International collections at your local Target store or online at target.com. |
A clothesline of high-end designers are opting to complement their couture collections this year by crafting stylish garments for affordable retailers.
Target, H&M and GAP are three of the megachains that have banked on the opportunity to bring big-name fashion to low-cost luxury.
It’s a concept that Target in particular has embraced as the culture of fashion evolves, becoming a more democratic art medium.
The retailer’s GO. International line, which debuted in 2006, features international designers’ limited-edition collections created exclusively for Target. The program has already featured lines from nearly a dozen renowned designers, including most recently British designer Alice Temperley. Behnaz Sarafpour, Luella Bartley and the New York male duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler – whom the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded Womenswear Designer of 2007 along with Oscar de la Renta – have partnered with Target, offering a taste of poshness for fashionistas who cannot afford the designers’ garments otherwise.
“GO gives us a new, exciting way to deliver great fashion at an affordable price,” said Target spokeswoman Amy von Walter. “By partnering with the hottest forward-thinking designers, we’re able to provide guests with the latest trends…and our guests have quickly learned that high fashion doesn’t have to mean high price.”
Temperley’s collection included mini dresses and trousers paired with feminine blouses, jackets and black opaque tights.
But not just every emerging designer can sign with the company. The selection process is rigorous to ensure that the partnership will benefit the designer, the corporation and the customer, von Walter said.
“We’ve been pleasantly surprised with the significant designer interest and willingness to participate in our GO program,” she said. “These designers had a great career before working with us, and we hope that they will have an even better career after working with us. Our goal with any design partner is to first identify designers who share our philosophy of offering great design and high quality at an excellent value.”
American fashion has literally exploded in recent years. Never before has the everyday consumer had such access to style, thanks to its affordability. Before major retailers such as H&M, Forever 21 and Zara permeated shopping districts, fashion had an air of haughtiness.
“Today’s fashion culture is all about mixing high and low and recognizing that dressing stylishly doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank,” von Walter said, noting how the company’s fashion initiative has acted as an “important catalyst in the move toward fashion democratization. “We’ve seen pieces from our GO collections on everyone from top celebrities to our everyday guests who just want to look great and that’s been an exciting and rewarding part of the program.”
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