DESIGN ON TARGET
Michael Graves to Alexander McQueen and Victoria Beckham
It has been 20 years since Target introduced the idea of high-end design at affordable prices. Its collaborations with influential artists and designers changed the retail culture and its motto of “Expect more. Pay less” has stood the test of time. The giant retailer has proven to customers that you don’t have to spend a fortune to look fashionable and live in style. “A good idea isn’t more expensive than a bad idea, so good design shouldn’t cost more than bad design,” wrote Kim Hastreiter, co-founder of Paper Magazine and contributor to the book Target: 20 years of Design for All.
“Design for “All” was a radical idea but proved to be an effective one. It started when Target funded the restoration of the Washington Monument. The company turned to American architect Michael Graves to design scaffolding that would be attractive on the National Mall. Graves’ solution was to drape the monument with a blue translucent mesh fabric and illuminate it from beneath, turning the site into a column of light. Todd Waterbury, Chief Design Officer for Target, wrote the book’s introduction, “That generous gesture inspired the 150-piece Michael Graves for Target collection that followed. It was the first time so many beautiful, playful, and well-designed objects for living were affordable to so many.”
The collaboration with Graves was the beginning of the “Design for All” concept. Since then, Target has partnered with some of the biggest names in fashion. Their exclusive collections have allowed the image and brand-conscious consumers to experience high-fashion at an affordable price. Fashion industry giants such as Cynthia Rowley, Jason Wu, Victoria Beckham, Alexander McQueen, Anna Sui, Lily Pulitzer and Missoni have all inked deals with Target. French designer Jean Paul Gaultier produced haute couture and ready to wear for those who could afford it. He worked closely with Madonna and designed the infamous corset cone bra for her Blond Ambition tour. He did a stint at Hermes as Creative Director and when it ended, Target called upon the designer and the legendary Gaultier collection was born.
The fashion partnership with Isaac Mizrahi was the most successful. Mizrahi’s 5-year relationship with Target generated $300 million in revenue annually. In an interview for the book, Mizrahi said, “I have committed myself to the thought that I wasn’t standing for couture but for democratizing fashion. I had this deal with Target, whereby they were the real distributor of my clothes. The only other deal I had was with Bergdorf [Goodman] and I felt that was a very important part of the whole thing.”
The Target collaborations attracted culinary genius, Marcus Samuelsson, who created a line of kitchenware. Samuelsson’s work with children inspired his project’s crayon aesthetic and a portion of the proceeds went to Harlem’s public school libraries. Cindy Crawford‘s best friend, Sonia Kashuk, came on board with a desire to create prestigious beauty products for a mass audience and called it “mass-tige.” Kashuk was thrilled with the results and told Forbes magazine, “Women everywhere could afford to have the best in beauty.”
Target: 20 years of Design for All chronicles two decades of behind-the-scenes stories with interviews, glossy photographs, advertising stills, and sketches. The last 20 years may have changed the trajectory of the company, but the original discount concept from 1962 remains unchanged, except now your discount comes with a lot of style and flair.
