i see a pattern

I’m baaack! The family event is over (lots of juicy posts to come about party planning on the cheap…but I need to wait for the photos). In the meantime, though, I’ve been dying to talk to you about Target’s pattern of hiring mega designers to create “diffusion” lines just for them. And pattern is the right word, because this time, it’s Missoni—the Italian design family known for their unmistakable zigzag knitwear.

I’ve known about this merger for over six months, but was waiting for launch week (the collection hits on Tuesday, September 13-th) to share the goods. Before I do so, however, I have a confession to make (and I know some really design-savvy friends are going to hit me over the head for this): It took me a long time to decide if I even LIKED Missoni.

Maybe it’s the colors (often, rusts and browns—so not my palette)…maybe it’s the knitwear thing (A bikini? Really?)…but when I covet expensive designer-wear, the M-word isn’t typically in the mix.

About five years ago, I went to a rather swanky wedding in NYC (Ethan Hawke was in the bridal party, Diane Von Furstenberg on the guest list—that swanky enough?). It was black-tie. The women, for the most part, wore long gowns; the men, tuxes. So I thought it was peculiar that one young woman at my table had on a rather casual, short, knit, day-dress for the event; until, that is, I realized that it was real-deal Missoni, and it probably cost more than the full-length gown I was wearing. Correction: I know it cost more. At first glance, she looked too casual; but I started wondering if the fact that it was Missoni made her dressed-down fashion statement somehow more acceptable.

 

When I became a die-hard Rachel Zoe fan a few years ago, and saw her love for the zigzags, I started to come around. I’ve never seen a photo of her in a Missoni bikini, but I do love her patterned caftans (so easy to look dressed up, with a pair of platforms and giant, gold-hoop earrings); and I also love the blanket on her bed.

 But now add the words “Target” and “cheap” to the concept, and I’m fully on board. Here, some reasons why….

 

Without too much public whining (but plenty of private swearing), I will tell you that my web-hosting service ate several blog posts recently; so I’ve recreated this Target write-up. On the plus side, this tech blunder allows me to do a game-day wrap up on the Missoni introduction:

With everyone else in America, I surged the store on opening day and managed to snap up the few scraps that were left at 8:30 a.m. Some I love, some I don’t. But now that the Missoni-for-Target insanity has died down (and presumably, the hoarders are having trouble unloading their 17,000 pieces at markup on eBay), I’m wondering where you stand on the collection. Frankly, I’ve seen a few-too-many people in Missoni of late and am not sure it’s maintaining the cachet.

How about you? Did you manage to scoop up any pieces? Do you love the stuff? Or not so much? Do tell….