M is for Missoni

There is something special about fashion from Italy. While French design hold my heart with couture cuts, the pure luxury of Italian wools, leathers, purses and shoes is more than enough to tide anyone over.  Unfortunately trying to make la bella figura is not always easy when a sweater can rip upwards of $800 from your pocketbook. Enter mass marketer Target and their designer collaborations to brighten up the wardrobes of many on a much tighter budget with the launch of Missoni for Target (in stores September 13- October 22).

I have been a fan of the Italian fashion house since I first laid my eyes on the famed zig-zag in one of the first Vogues I ever read. The hype began to build several months back when word got out that this collaboration was just around the corner and only built when the first ads were released.

(Courtesy of Missoni for Target)

When the line hit store shelves on the 13th I was ready to get my shop on and while I did it in record time, I got my Missoni fix and experienced a shopping event that many will never forget. The line has quickly become infamous, it almost completely sold out in stores and online the first day it was in stores. I arrived at the Wilkes-Barre Target  around 8:45am on the 13th and the racks were already picked through. I hustled over to the shoe section and grabbed the number one item on my wish list, the pink and black printed sweater flats with their bonded leather bottoms and super silky interior lining.

(Screenshot from Target.com)

While once-ing over the store I ran into two women with shopping carts that were quite literally overflowing with the multi-colored patten. These two friends (with their unhappy young boys in tow) came from two hours away and wanted to get everything from the limited time line.

The Wilkes-Barre Target did not have the entire line out when the store opened. Mildly rushed store workers ran through the large retailer with racks and boxes marked with the "DO NOT DISPLAY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 13, 2011" stamp. I majorly lucked out when an elderly male employee stopped to ask why I was hovering around the scarf section...clearly he was unaware that the scarves were going to sell out and that I had to get the one that matched the flats I grabbed earlier that morning.

Apparently a smile and not wanting to be late for class will get you far with Target employees, because when I explained that I would be late for class if I waited around for another hour for that merchandise to be put out he got on his walkie-talkie and I got my pick of the still boxed selection. How many shoppers can say they got VIP treatment at a Target?

Myself and another woman who I got to talking to while waiting for my scarves to arrive more or less plundered the selection, grabbing everything we wanted, thanked the sales associate and wished each other happy shopping.

(Screenshot from Target.com)

If I had known that the line was going to sell out online less than an hour from then I would have bought a few more things, but overall I am thrilled that I now have some Missoni in my closet, something few can say. I did manage to get my manicured fingers on a pink wooden picture frame from the Missoni for Target home collection. For a slim $7.99 it will make a perfect Christmas present.

(Screenshot from Target.com)

The frame is edged in a little known Missoni pattern called Exploding Flower. The pattern is not as wild as most Missoni prints but I am crazy over it! 

My final Missoni for Target purchase is not one that I made, it is actually a gift that a friend has bought me for Christmas (and yes, I am aware that December is three months away). This final item from the line is the Missoni for Target Travel Tote in black and white zig-zags. The tote is large enough to pack for a weekend trip or use as a carry-on when traveling and for a girl with some travel in her future a better gift could not have been bought.

(Screenshot from Target.com)

The pattern continues into the inside of the tote and is a must have road trip accessory. My Missoni fix ran me under a $100 and depending on what it is worn with, can completely change the way a simply monochromatic black outfit appears.

While the line has sold out online and in-stores and will not be restocked, die-hard fashionistas can keep checking their local stores for returns and for those in serious need of a piece of the collection, there is always e-bay (though prepare yourself to pay much more than the ticket price if you chose this way). 

For those of you who tried to shop the collection online you most likely saw this, you probably would have been better off going to a store. Sorry.

(Screenshot of Target.com on September 13)

You can hear more about the Missoni for Target line on Wednesday, September 28th at 10am on Cougar Radio when this week's show is replayed. You can also check back to this post in two weeks when (hopefully) the audio file will be posted.