Isaac Mizrahi and Target are breaking up
Filed under: Style in the News
The frugally fashionable lovefest that was Target and designer Isaac Mizrahi will be no more, according to an announcement made by Mizrahi himself last month. The relationship has ended, but just like in any breakup, we'll keep finding Mizrahi's things at Target through the end of the year.So what happened? Did the designer get jealous of all the other hot, new designers (and non-designers who still want to design clothes -- talking about you, Shaun White) slinking through Target's revolving door of guest designers? Was he upset that he introduced Target to the wonders of having a famous name design a line for them and now has to share the spotlight?
Or does he just want more time to himself so he can grope celebrities?
The split is following a five percent plunge for the store during December's holiday shopping crunch, which is most likely the reason Mizrahi chose to walk. The real question is, who gained more from the relationship?
Mizrahi, while having serious fashion cred from his work in the 1990's, wasn't actually faring so well as a fashion house when Target came calling. And Mizrahi has been credited with being the first celebrity designer to lend his name to "cheap chic." But Target made money by bringing in his name -- it's been reported that Mizrahi for Target sold as much as $300 million per year.
Either way, I know I'll certainly miss him. However, other stores have picked up on the trend of celebrity designers creating lines for the masses, with Kohl's selling a line by Vera Wang and J.C. Penney carrying Nicole Miller, so never fear -- my closet will not become empty, nor will my wallet.
jess 2-20-2008 @ 1:12PM
I loved his line there so it's a bit of a dissapointment but there are other good designers these days though so it's not too big of a deal.
Reply
Amanda 2-20-2008 @ 6:03PM
I believe he's leaving Target because he's the new creative director for Liz Claiborne.
So in other words, it's not us, it's him
Reply