30 October 2011

Style Snobs Going Out of Style

Are style snobs going out of fashion?  It seems like every major designer is doing away with just designing for the style elite and instead partnering with retailers that appeal to the masses.  Why?  Well, first and probably most important, it makes them more cash.  Being exclusive to only one tax-bracket means limiting yourself to one very small market, a market that is at risk with economies all over the world in melt-down mode.

It all started with H&M teaming up with Karl Lagerfeld back in 2004, and since then designers like Stella McCartney, Versace and Jimmy Choo have joined in, as well as celebrities like Madonna and Kylie Minogue (she's still a celebrity in the UK, trust me).   Now there is Missoni designing for Target (or Tar-jay as I like to say), Giambattista Valli for Macys, etc, etc.  It's really the "thing" to do for designers these days.

So now, beautiful things don't have to be just for the rich and fabulous, and designers don't have to go broke, they just have to go downtown and design for people like you and me.  And the best thing?  The pieces are more chic than cheap:


SJP in the real deal - a red Giambattista Valli.

Valli's new line for Macy's.  Does that red dress look familiar?

Missoni's fall RTW collection
Missoni for Target collection. 

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