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Sometimes there's a benefit of a downward-spiraling economy.
Well, maybe not and the economy probably shouldn't take all the credit for a new fabulous marketing strategy.
Over the past few years, the economic situation hasn't been exactly prosperous - not to mention, I'm still a poor college student dreaming of a substantial income - so the strategy has been a godsend for avid lovers of fashion.
The tactic is the collaboration of big-name designers with discount-retailing giants. A prime example is the retailer Target, which recently announced the launch of its new fashion program, called Target Designer Collaborations. The idea involves partnering with up-and-coming designers and offering their designs at reasonable prices.
The fashion push by Target is one of the several marketing initiatives made by discount retailers to reverse a string of quarterly profit declines. To its delight, the strategy has pulled in great sales for the company, with lines by these big-name designers selling out before they even hit the racks.
Target isn't the only store to incorporate this strategy into its company. Most notably, H&M is one of the companies that uses this tactic at great lengths by collaborating with names like Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Dutch avant-garde designer Viktor & Rolf. Last February, the contemporary line Alice and Olivia paired up with Payless Shoesource to offer shoes and accessories under $30.
It surely is a smart marketing move. Although these lines are mass produced, the most appealing part of this tactic is that the designers are still very much involved in the design process on the clothes, meaning that it's no longer necessary to head to Saks to spill $200 on a one-of-a-kind beaded top by the designer. Instead, you can get an outfit from a concept and a design by Richard Chai at Target, which usually would total more than $400 at a high-end retailer, for only $90 - yes, that's for top, pants and shoes.
Most people would think that the designers would assign this opportunity to their design assistants or even the design interns. For the snobbish, designing for Target or Payless would seem, well, a downscale for designers. Most would argue that these clothes lack the quality and detail that their expensive counterparts offer.
It's quite the contrary though. While they aren't using luxurious fabrics like silk and cashmere, they are still using quality materials - most notably the rise of green-friendly and oh-so-soft supima cotton. These designers are smart enough to know that many girls out there love fashion but don't have the money to spend on designer garb - kind of like yours truly. They know they already have a rich, committed fan base and want to give other potential customers the chance to own a piece that was the creation of a designer protégé which is going to boost their name in the market and in the industry. The designers aren't trying to be exclusive and only appeal to those with money. Kudos to them for believing that ideal.
So for young girls like us, this time, we have a great benefit. It will only be a matter of time before more designers start joining forces with discount retailers and offering their authentic designs for a fraction of their typical prices. Maybe we can expect something from Tom Ford for H&M or Target? I hope so, but maybe I shouldn't jump too far. Well then again, a girl can dream.
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