When asked why they decided to work with Target on a low priced collection back in August, Angela Missoni was frank telling the New York Times that it was all about increasing the brand's visibility in America. “As Missoni, we have a big name but we are not a huge company, so there’s not much product around” but that was, of course, before their partnership with the retailer collection hit stores.
If you didn't know the Missoni brand before the Target collection, you definitely do now. The partnership was the retailer's biggest to date and the line was so sought after that it caused their website to crash, shelves were empty on the first day and eBay was full of resales of the pieces going for ridiculously high prices. "Honestly, we didn't expect it," Angela Missoni told the LA Times of the Sept. 13 frenzy. "I kept getting calls from friends all over America saying, 'Do you know what's happening here? There are lines outside the store. The shelves are empty!'"
Missoni are on a high right now. Their Fall 2011 collection was the best I've seen from them in a long while and it shows, as the collection is already doing really well at retail and their highly anticipated collaboration with Target was an instant sell out. While their Spring/Summer 2011 collection is notably different from their fall show, Angela Missoni definitely hit a high note again this season.
Inspired by her daughters arriving home from a night of dancing in Sardinia, the collection was full of fringed necklaces and hemlines, bold colours, assymetric necklines and multi tiered dresses and skirts alongside the brand's signature prints. Often these details came on the same look but did not look fussy or over-the-top. Instead, the playful experimentation with different details this season is exactly what Missoni needs if he wants to keep hold of the younger generation it attracted for fall.
In the fashion industry we all love Missoni. I mean, what's not to love? Their signature prints are classic yet modern and they're known for producing some of the best knitwear around. So why are they collaborating with budget retailer Target? “We really wanted to reach a large audience,” Angela Missoni told The New York Times. “As Missoni, we have a big name but we are not a huge company, so there’s not much product around.” On second though, that seems true. Although the brand is a firm fixture in the wardrobes of many fashion insiders - hello Rachel Zoe and even baby Skykler - they've still got some work to do in the American market. As Jeffrey Buchman, professor of advertising and marketing communication at FIT, explained, brands are using budget retailers like Target to reach new consumers and boosting brand awareness.
This focus on increasing the brand's visibility is clear in their marketing strategies. Get ready for Margherita Missoni to share her must haves from the 400-piece collection, as well as appearing in a selection of videos to help you incorporate their bright printed pieces into your wardrobe.The collection will also be made available in a pop-up shop in Bryant Park during fashion week.
The Missoni for Target collection will be in Target stores from Sept. 13 through Oct. 22.
Target isn't afraid to mix low with high having worked on a string of collaborations with brands like Rodarte, Proenza Schouler and Thakoon.Today, the retailer announced that Missoni are the latest brand to collaborate with the retailer and the deal marks the biggest partnership they have worked on to date.
The collection, which will be available between September 13th and October 12th will feature 400+ piece, Vogue.com reports. The line will boast kids, women and mens, as well as homewear all in the classic Missoni prints. “It’s been a fantastic experience," Angela Missoni explained, “one we are eager to share with families across the United States.”
Missoni is one of those brand that have a distinct brand identity but manage to play with it each season in innovative ways.
Rather than opting for the bright block colours that have dominated this season, Angela Missoni took us to a fun world full of pastels. Maxi dresses teamed with beanies and long skirts teamed with simple tops and cardigans all came in varying shades of green, yellow, salmon and coral. On one look, a maxi skirt began with a nude colour at the bottom developing into reds and orange towards the bottom.
The brand's classic print appeared on deep v-neck merino knits and wide leg trousers styled with a floor grazing coat. Knitwear was definitely a strength, as you would expect. For fall they came in chunky dramatic loose cable knit styles in neutral colours complimented by flashes of lilac teamed with lavender coloured trousers.
If you were in or near Milan this weekend, we hope you had a chance to take a rare look into the Vogue Italia offices. Starting on Friday afternoon, Editor in Chief Franca Sozzani started holding court for guests curious to see how, exactly, the fashion glossy is put together. That also included visits with designers including Angela Missoniand Donatella Versace.
"The Vogue Experience" was held in celebration of Sozzani's new book, I Capricci Della Moda (The Whims of Fashion), a collection of her blog posts from the magazine's website. Apparently, Sozzani has already received criticism about allegedly removing some of the mystery from the mag. To that, she says: “It upsets me that some people think that my doing this is just a commercial thing or making Vogue too democratic...It’s not being commercial because the book is published by Bompiani and not by Condé Nast. Opening our magazine to people is just to give them the chance to meet persons working in fashion, how we work, where we are and our offices…Why should seeing each other take away the mystery? What mystery? We make magazines just to give you quality and creativity, and obviously to keep you informed.”
Unlike Bee Shaffer and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Margherita Missoni seems quite happy to follow in her mother's fashionable steps, as the young heiress recently went from brand ambassador for Missoni, to accessories designer. Despite her first handbag collection only making its debut back in May, talk of Margherita taking over the Missoni empire has been fuelled by mother Angela admitting considering stepping down.
"I was on a bus yesterday and I thought for the first time there are so many things I want to do with my life and whenever Margherita feels ready I'd let her take over," Angela Missoni, creative director for the label revealed. "Who knows what the future will bring? Maybe Theresa will run things or perhaps my nephew or my son. Margherita has this incredible passion for the business and for fashion though - she would be excellent."
So, it looks like Margherita may see herself as creative director in a few years, although even if the heiress decides against the idea, one thing's for sure - Missoni seem intent on keeping it firmly within the family.
Just after Charitybuzz.com announced it's auctioning a weeklong internship at Vogue (with proceeds dedicated to the RFK Centre for Justice and Human Rights), the site has come out with a list of items to be auctioned off for Earth Day's 40th anniversary. What caught our attention? A bespoke, sustainable-fabric suit - which Stella McCartney has agreed she'll personally custom fit. Or if that's not enough, bidders can go for a $10,000 Vera Wang store credit and a dinner date with the designer.
Moving on from there, Charity Buzz has put lunch and a fitting session with Angela Missoni on the table, plus two front-row tickets to Missoni's next fashion show. Not to be outdone, Armani is giving out a dress and fitting, plus two tickets to the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party.
Most importantly, all the fashion madness really is for a good cause, with beneficiaries including Oceana, the NRDC and Conservation International. With reserve bids like $5,000 and $17,000, it seems that Earth Day is going to be a very generous holiday in the style community.
So it's true, the fashion world have house parties too, darling. Frivolous house parties, in fact, that collate arty types from all over the world, to include Vivienne Westwood and Pam Hogg (such a fabulous combination, don't you think?), and end in Gareth Pugh giving Katie Grand a playful spank outside the marble bathroom of house owners Marc Newson and Charlotte Stockdale. As a celebration of T magazine's Anglomaniacs issue, the industrial designer and fashion stylist husband and wife pair opened their London home on Friday night for Frieze, to a highly creative crowd, including Christopher Kane, Angela Missoni and Anouck Lepére. "I love fairs like this", Angela Missoni told Style.com, "They reinvigorate me and my work". Although the evening's host, Nadja Swarovski, had hoped to get some good art from the night, walls were sparce with art, but furniture extravagant. "We like the house good and minimalist!", Stockdale explained.
