McQueen Kicks Off Target Design Effort

As Isaac Mizrahi takes his final bow throughout Target, Designer Collaborations are taking its place. In March, Target will launch it's Designer Collaboration that is an ongoing program that will bring a series of established designers to the masses at low prices. Designer Collaborations is a separate program from Target's Go International, which focuses on young or emerging designers and, in the past, has featured names such as Proenza Schouler, Luella Bartley, Behnaz Sarafpour, Rogan and Richard Chai. Go International is estimated to to do more than $100 million in annual sales.

Out of this world, Alexander McQueen will be in this collaboration and plans to create a version of his McQ collection, called McQ Alexander McQueen for Target.

"Both programs are geared toward our trend-minded guests who are always on the hunt for the newest and hottest looks at an affordable price," said Trish Adams, senior vice president of Target. "Designer Collaborations is another way in which Target brings an emporium of designers to our guests. This specific McQ Alexander McQueen for Target collection does have the potential to skew toward a slightly older guest compared to some of our other designer collections."

McQueen had said there will be more designers to contribute to this collaboration with him. Each collection is planned to be offered in stores for only a limited amount of time.

The collaboration designers are seeking inspiration from a muse. McQueen sought out a muse in Leila Moss, the lead singer of The Duke Spirit, a British band known for mixing noise rock and grunge in the late Eighties and early Nineties. Moss gave his line the rock-and-roll image with a touch of British accents.

McQueen, who established his secondary line, McQ Alexander McQueen, last year, said at the time that it's younger and more renegade [than the main collection], but always signature McQueen.

McQ Alexander McQueen for Target will feature lightweight sweaters, skinny jeans, bubble dresses, slim skirts and cuffed shorts. Signature pieces will be offered including garments such as rock and roll studded jeans, women's blazers inspired by men's tuxedos and swimwear. Price points are not available yet, but will meet the standards of Target's markets. The collection has a color palette of muted tones including grey, tan and black. Stud and mesh will give this collection the edge it needs to fulfill the inspiration of The Duke Spirit.

The McQ Alexander McQueen for Target collection will be supported with an advertising strategy designed to drive buzz and traffic via innovative out of home, online, national magazines and e-mail.
-Katie Davidson