Target turns 50 this year and they’ve come a long way baby! Focusing on their fashion endeavors, they started out selling bargain filler items for your closet, shoes that were cute and worked in a pinch, and accessories that didn’t scream super stylish but added something fun to your look. In early 2000, they launched collaborations that didn’t necessarily get tons of press, but they’ve come full circle and starting May 6, 2012, they kicked off The Shops at Target.
I’m excited to see how The Shops at Target comes to life and who they’ll feature but, in the meantime, here’s a recap on how they took collaborations to another level and morphed along the way:
2003: Isaac Mizrahi, who at the time was selling his high-end collection at Bergdorf Goodman, inks a deal with Target for a capsule collection, and the now ubiquitous high-low collaboration was born.
2006: Target launches their Go International program with Luella Bartley. The limited-edition collection, which is priced higher than Target’s typical range, has a 90-day run.
2006: French boutique Paul & Joe is up next for Go International.
2007: Skate-snowboarding star Shaun White and his brother, Jesse White, create a limited-edition apparel line for Target.
2007: Patrick Robinson, who also joined Gap as creative director this year, is tapped for Go International.
2009: A major Go International coup: Rodarte’s Kate and Laura Mulleavy do a holiday collection.
2009: In a departure from Go International, Alexander McQueen becomes the first participant in the company’s new Designer Collaborations program. Anna Sui and Jean Paul Gaultier follow.
2010: In a partnership with Liberty of London, a limited-edition Target collection for the first time spans categories from home and garden to apparel for men, women and kids.
2011: Proenza Schouler takes on Go International and the fashion set freaks out. This is also the year that Target launches a super-collection of 34 dresses from 17 of its Go International designers. They call the capsule Designer Collective, and it’s available for only one month. However, after five years, the $100 million-plus Go International program is ultimately discontinued.
Instead, Target goes whole-hog with their Designer Collaboration initiative, and their September partnership with Missoni—which draws “online traffic that outpaced any Black Friday or Cyber Monday in our history,” a Target rep told WWD—redefines the words “fashion frenzy.” The collection features 400 products from across the store, and most stores sell out in a few days, while Target’s Web site crashes under the overwhelming demand. (You remember.)
2012: After a successful spring collaboration with Jason Wu, Target takes a step back from the high-low collab concept, unveiling The Shops at Target, a partnership with five mom-and-pop boutiques across the country.
