Target’s Designer Collaborations Made Me The Fashion Obsessee I Am Today

I spent countless hours as a teen ogling designer clothes in photos of Paris Hilton at the club and in Blair Waldorf’s closet. There was no better feeling than scouring Nordstrom Rack to find the same pair of True Religion jeans or a Dooney & Bourke bag I had seen in the pages of Teen Vogue. Forking over the babysitting money I was supposed to spend on gas, I felt alive. The aughts were a time of loud luxury and blinged-out monograms — and I wanted everything I couldn’t have. That is, until I discovered Target’s designer collaborations, which have been making designer clothes accessible since its first launch with Isaac Mizrahi in 2003.

Now, Target is gearing up to release its latest designer collab — this time with Diane Von Furstenberg. Dropping March 23, the sprawling, limited-edition collection features everything from new and archival DVF prints to home décor to beauty offerings. With the exception of select made-to-order furniture starting at $300, the items range between $3.99 and $100, with most items under $50. You can bet I’ll be first in line to snag a version of the designer’s signature wrap dress.

The first designer collaboration I remember obsessing over was Anna Sui’s Gossip Girl-inspired capsule collection in 2009. With four styles mirroring those of the show’s main characters, the collection had lace dresses for Blair, sophisticated shift dresses for Serena, punk-inspired ripped leggings for Jenny, and boho apparel for Vanessa. My BFF recently passed one of these dresses down to me, and yes, it’s still cute enough to wear to a wedding.

And thanks to Target, Isaac Mizrahi — who had collections with the retailer from 2003 to 2009 — was one of the first designers I knew by name. When I recently saw him perform his one-man show at Café Carlyle, I was starstruck not only for his Project Runway stint, but because I remember seeing his belted dresses in stores. Target also continues to give me access to designer clothes as an adult. At a recent clothing swap I hosted, two of my friends fought over a Christopher John Rogers dress from his 2021 Target collection. And who can forget when Target tapped Sandy Liang for a collection that same year, making her practical yet dreamy fleeces and dresses accessible far beyond the borders of downtown New York. Designer clothing may be about exclusivity, but Target’s high-low collaborations are for everyone. I have to thank the designers who lent their work for the betterment of all aspiring fashionistas. Sure, I may be able to buy Anna Sui now (on sale,at least), but there’s no greater feeling than plopping a designer dress in my shopping cart next to tampons and eyeliner.