Thoughts On the Designer Collaboration Craze

Now that Missoni for Target has passed, here are three upcoming designer collaborations that I am excited about! Try not to go all crazy eBay hoarder before I get to see them in person this time, okay? ;)

Giambattista Valli for Macy's Impulse- Launches October 26, 2011

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Giambattista Valli is known as a designer-darling of high society.  His feminine party dresses possess a cross-generational appeal.  According to Vogue, his collection for Macy's Impulse will include "a lot of georgette, brocade, organdies, jersey, animal spot, and prints." A preview of the collection was just released yesterday, including the above photos, and I'm just loving the leopard! Macy's Impulse is definitely on a roll with their designer collaborations.  

Versace for H&M- Launches November 19, 2011

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According to the October issue of Vogue, Donatella "has tapped into her late brother's design legacy." The H&M collection will include pieces inspired by classic Versace designs, straight from the archives of Gianni Versace. Versace for H&M will include womenswear, menswear, shoes, accessories, and even elements for the home. Personally, I'm not a big Versace girl, but I'll admit that I might be getting a little excited over a couple images I've seen of studded dresses. Vogue predicts that we should "expect mob scenes" on November 19th. 

Jason Wu for Target- Launches February 5, 2012

I've got to be honest here--  I am looking forward to this one the most out of the three. Actually, I'm looking forward to this one way more than Missoni! The collection will include women's apparel, handbags and scarves, and is expected to stay true to the designer's feminine, '60s-inspired aesthetic.  I just adore Jason Wu, and I can't wait to see what he brings to Target! If his Spring collection for Target is anything like his amaaazing Spring 2012 RTW show, I better start saving up my money now!

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If you can't already tell, I am totally intrigued with the current world-wide obsession over designer collaborations;  not because they're not great... they're actually one of my favorite concepts ever.  In fact, some of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe have come from designer collaboration collections with stores like Target and H&M, some purchased back when I was in high school. But my past encounters with designer collaboration collections have in no way resembled my experience with Missoni for Target.  In the past, I might have found out about a collection from a brief mention in a fashion magazine feature.  Then I would visit the store and find a few treasures, sometimes even on the clearance rack.... no big deal.  But in the last year, launches like Lanvin for H&M, and most notably Missoni for Target, have totally exploded into a level of obsession that is bordering on craziness.  I can't help but wonder what role the world of blogs may have played in this...

I think that in the past, women who were already "in the know" when it comes to fashion were the ones who scouted out these hidden gems.  And maybe once in a while, women who'd never heard of say,  Erin Fetherston, for example, brought home one of her dresses from Target, not knowing they held in their possession anything beyond a normal Target dress.  But the media has so changed over the past couple of years, and people are now finding themselves totally overexposed to things which might not have even been on their radar in 2006.  I could go on and on, but I won't. I just find all of this so fascinating.

Anyway, what has been your favorite designer collaboration to date?  Do you think you'll shop any of the three I listed above?

New York Fashion Week Favorites

This past week, I have had so much fun devouring all of the runway slideshows from New York Fashion Week.  Since spending hours clicking through fashion shows is not everyone's cup of tea, I thought I'd gather up all of my favorite looks and share a condensed version of my favorite Spring 2012 trends! These are in no way an accurate representation of everything shown at NYFW, but in my humble opinion, they're the best of the best!

All images from Vogue and Style

Even if you feel like these looks don't relate to you, there is always inspiration to be gleaned from Fashion Week. From color trends to silhouettes to proportions to hair and make-up, there are so many fresh ideas to inspire a fun change or a confident new attitude in your wardrobe! It's hard for me to pick my favorite look out of the above, because I wish I could wear all of them! But I would say that my favorite trends are the peplum skirt, strategic cutouts and sheer panels, bright coral, mustard yellow, nude paired with neons or sparkly silver, and feathers and fringe for texture.  As for hair and makeup, I thought the big pre-Raphaelite hair at Oscar de la Renta was totally fresh, and I still can't get enough of the bright lip (Milly and Jason Wu)!

If money were no object, which look would you like to transport straight from the runway to your closet? And if you're a little less daring, which out-there element inspires you to change up your look, even just a little bit?