On Feb. 10, Target will release a new fashion line in collaboration with Prabal Gurung, one of the major fashion designers of the day. After their highly anticipated collaboration with Missoni in 2011, followed by Jason Wu in 2012, Target had a high standard for the next luxury designer. Considering Prabal Gurung’s growing popularity among celebrities like Michelle Obama and Lady Gaga, it is no surprise to fashionistas everywhere that the Nepalese designer would be Target’s next choice.
“His design philosophy is characterized by a mixture of modern luxury, indelible style and an astute sense of glamour,” according to Target.com. And even though this collection is created for the masses, it seems as though Gurung, since launching his own line in 2009, has not put any less effort into endowing this collection with his signature design tactic.
Just in time for the Valentine season, Prabal Gurung’s collection is inspired by “love” and “a woman’s journey through it.” This is most noticeably expressed through the print names — “Floral Crush,” “First Date” and “Meet the Parents” — which make appearances on tops, dresses and cardigans throughout the collection. His color scheme follows suit in a seductive, yet modest use of apple red.
“I like my collections to have femininity with just a little bit of bite,” Prabal Gurung said in a behind the scenes video of his look book. So while most pieces in the collection are totally appropriate for meeting your boyfriend’s parents for the first time, lace-up pumps and kaleidoscopic floral prints give the collection its edge, consistent with his reputation for bold prints.
Prices range from $19.99 to $199.99 for apparel, the most expensive piece being a blue leather jacket. Accessories go for $39.99 or less. And luckily for Binghamton University students, this collection will be coming to the Target on Vestal Parkway.
“We always get every collection,” said Lisa, a softlines sales floor team member. “But there’s no telling which items we will be getting.”
The collection will also be available online.
Though Prabal Gurung for Target is only the most recent in a long history of mass market luxury brand collaborations over the last 10 years, Target seems to have taken greater pains in their advertising campaign to warm up the majority of its customers who are not familiar with the designer. A movie trailer-esque television commercial featuring Olivia Thirlby and a quiz on Target.com called “What’s Your Love Style?” emphasize that Target also wants us to know that this collection was created for YOU (whoever you are).
To the majority of Target’s consumers, Prabal Gurung will go unnoticed for what it is, but for the Prabal Gurung enthusiast, this collection is another answered prayer for the brand whore on a budget.