2009 on TARGET for McQueen

Your favorite lifestyle store has hit a bullseye!  That's right Target has tapped British designer Alexander McQueen as the first designer to do a capsule collection for a new designer initiative in 09.   Not to be confused with the emerging international designers the company already collaborated with such as Luella Bartley or Anya Hindmarch, the new plan is to bring major designers to the Target  customer base.   McQueen recently launched McQ, a lower priced sportswear collection inspired by his runway looks.    This was a great move, as is the Target collaboration - considering his runway looks make a big statement - but don't exactly fly off the shelves.   I'll be the first to admit I have been critical in the past as I think his collections wear the women and not the other way round - but I am looking forward to the new work for Target.   

If you are not already shopping at Target - put it on your list next week!   If not for the amazing things you find inside from Green home products to killer fashion pieces - the store gives 5% of sales every week to every local community they do business in!   This comes out to about $3 MILLION a week... yes you read that correctly.  That's more than we can say for the Wallmonster.... so head for the bullseye and come March - look for McQ at Target too!!

The British Invasion Continues

New York's Meat Market has been the "New" Soho for some time now.   The transformation is almost complete.   The neighborhood is just about unrecognizable from 5 years ago.   14th Street west of 9th Avenue is just like a mall near you - that is if you are lucky enough is live near a very nice mall!   The Apple mega store recently opened.    Barneys NY announced they plan to build a full size department store just down the street across from Jeffrey NY.   (Jeffrey is the man who put the hood on the map!).    Always known to have his finger on the pulse on what is cool - Hotelier Andre Balazs is opening a HUGE Standard Hotel in 09 here as well.

The latest designer to break ground is Matthew Williamson.   The British designer will feel right at home down the block from fellow Brits Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen.   All three designers are  Londoners, but that is about all they have in common.  Each has such distinctively different styles.  Psychologists could have a field day analyzing "what makes them tick" theories as to what they do.   I think it would be an interesting study to read!  One is known for oversized knits, one is known for avant garde evening wear, and the third uses wildly colorful prints season after season.  Calling Dr. Freud!

While this latest addition does put one more nail in the coffin of my low key Saturday morning plans... it will make the street more vibrant and bring more revenue to the city.    Stay tuned......