The enfant terrible of New York and L.A. fashion may seem an unlikely fit for the fluorescent-lit aisles of Target (Target is a chain of discount department stores that are about 95,000 to 135,000 square feet (12,000 m²) and carry hardlines (“regular” products and goods), softlines (clothing), and a limited amount of groceries, usually non-perishable in the US), but in this era of designer collaborations, anything can happen.
Libertine, notorious for its rough seams and bold graphics, is the latest fashion label to partner with the big-box retailer. The collection features polo dresses, tie-front jackets, and Bermuda shorts with the same quirky sensibility as Libertine’s main line, and is set to launch this month. Of their democratic shift, designers Johnson Hartig and Cindy Greene, friends, co-founders and co-conspirators of the brand that’s not just a fashion label, it’s a fashion cult, explain, “it was an exciting challenge to try and interpret our aesthetic into a mass-produced product.” Plus, they add, “With so many people knocking us off, it was fun to knock ourselves off for a change.” How’s that for subversive?
Earlier on Target collaborated with Luella of Luella Bartley, Patrick Robinson of Paco Rabanne and Proenza Schouler.
