Like a lot of Missoni-philes, I have been curious to see the branded merchandise that Target has been promising for a couple of months. In August, Racked graciously posted the entire 400 piece Look Book, and it all looked pretty cool.
But of course you had to wonder what it was going to be like in the flesh. What is distinctive about Missoni is, of course, the amazing color ways and signature flame-stitch patterns, but also the spectacular quality of the fabrics: nobody makes textiles like the Italians, and the Missonis are among the greatest of them all.
So although I got to the Target store on Broadway near Montrose at 8:28, I don’t have much to report, because this is what I found in the women’s clothing area:
and this in the men’s [yes, one lone purple polyester tie is all that was left]
There were actually a few pieces in the women’s lingerie department:
and several items for little girls
but nothing whatsoever in domestics or housewares.
The store employees told me that there were more than 100 people lined up when the store opened at 8 am, and apparently it was as if a swarm of locusts had descended and picked the shelves clean.
The few items I was able to handle were, as I suspected, made in China, completely of synthetic fabrics, so it’s not as if actual Missoni buyers are going to be satisfied with such low-quality crap. But if all you’re interested in is the “look,” it’s definitely here. [Or it was.]
The stuff has been on ebay for a couple of weeks [you’ve got to wonder how people got a hold of it — did they break into Target warehouses? piratize the shipping containers en route from China?], and it’s brought outrageous prices, well above retail. But I guess stylistas will be stylistas and they’ve just gotta have it.
I’m all for the democratization of style, and would love it if this were more than a temporary line for Target. I was wondering if this venture might dilute the brand, but I’m starting to think it’s kind of brilliant, because of the Target market [you should excuse the expression].
Target shoppers are an ideal audience for Missoni: they are baldly aspirational acquisitors. So once the Target promotion ends, they’ll be hooked on the brand, and have to figure out some way to afford it.
It used to be that the first taste was free; now it’s just “affordable.”
