Cheap Designer Label Clothes: What’s not to Like?

Opening February 9th is Target’s newest collaboration: Peter Pillotto for Target. I’ve said before that Peter Pilotto is the future, but this is a groundbreaking collection from a business perspective (for several reasons besides team designers. Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos’, genius). This marks the first time the Peter Pillotto label offers both swimwear and accessories. To celebrate, Target has taken a step in the global direction and is making the collaboration accessible by featuring it Net-a-Porter.

The designs look great — almost like a cross between scuba gear, Jackson Pollock, and the office. No doubt come February, I will find myself perusing Target’s aisles, silently salivating as the sweet smell of design meets affordability.

But before I get overwhelmed by the ever-beckoning lure of the label, I have to ask myself and my readers. Why do we like these collaborations? Do we actually like them? Every so often with mixed success, Target, H&M, or Kohl’s tantalizes us with these  oh-so classy looking displays; you get to the store, pulse racing, thinking, “Ah! The joy of having nice clothes made by someone who understands!” Then you touch the fabric, and in a moment of dizzy realization and confusion, it’s just glorified polyester with more thought exerted on it. But I go. every. time. And every time, I ask myself, why would I pay $40 for a white shirt from Target?

Am I being too snobby? Looking back at past Target collaborations, they are undoubtedly cool. Even celebrities wear them!

Jason Wu:

In real life:

And Philip Lim:

So essentially, by buying the collaborated label, you sacrifice fabric and tailoring, leaving yourself with design. Is that a worthwhile trade, or am I better off to save up my money and thrift like mad? Then again, maybe my expectations are too high. No one is walking out of Target, fanning their fingers together saying, “YES! Runway gold!” Still, if we know that we aren’t really getting designer, why are we buying for designer? The Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine posited in her article Pilotto for the People that the reason to shop these collaborations is to cash in on the prints (making Pilotto the perfect designer). Now we get Peter Pilotto prints without the Peter Pilotto price tag… I don’t know, but that bathing suit is sure calling my name.