The iconic Missoni zigzag print is easily recognized by anyone who knows anything about fashion. But until now, the price tag has been far too steep for anyone on a college budget.
The Italian Missoni family, who for 68 years has been running both the creative and corporate ends of the business, has decided to branch out of high-end fashion and collaborate with Target. Starting September 13th, the coveted label will sell a single collection of clothing, bedding, and housewares at Target stores nationwide.
At the launch party in Manhattan’s midtown on Wednesday, September 7th, the line famous for its brightly colored prints showed up on both celebrities and on a 25 foot tall doll named “Little Marina”. Within 20 minutes of my arrival at the party, shelves were bare as Missoni addicts piled the goods into their oversized shopping totes. The clothing was the first to go: a long knit dress cost $64.99 while a printed blouse cost $44.99. As you may or may not know, at Bergdorf Goodman, a Missoni blouse can sell for as much as $1100. Wearing and shopping the brand were celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, Martha Stewart, Emma Roberts, and the Real Housewives of NYC. I picked up a colorful glass vase and a picture frame for under $50.
With prices like these, it is unsurprising that lines in front of Targets across the country formed as early as 5am on September 13th. Overzealous shoppers grabbed up the merchandise and by an hour after opening at virtually every Target location, there was nothing left. But that’s not all! Their website crashed soon after opening for business. When attempting to get online, customers were greeted with the Target mascot, the ever-cute pup, and this message “Woof! We are suddenly extremely popular.”
The only thing left for Missoni aficionados to do now is to log onto EBay and pay double the Target price. Sure enough, even Target, a retailer known for accommodating the masses, was not prepared for the stampede of devout designer junkies.