Well, the lookbook is out (though the clothes themselves won't hit stores until the fall), and unfortunately I'm a little underwhelmed. I know all the Target collections are kind of little hit and miss (I wasn't hot on the much-anticipated Alexander McQueen either), but I expected more from Sui. I do like some of the pieces, but overall I think the collection lacks luster, and it doesn't feel particularly fresh. But, again, as with all Target designer collaborations, the way things are styled in lookbook photos doesn't always show their full potential, and pieces often look different in person, for better or for worse.
Anna was inspired by "Gossip Girl" for her Target collection, to which I say...really? Don't get it twisted; I'm as unashamed a "GG" addict as the next girl, but using it as a cultural touchstone for a fashion collection seems a bit late at this point -- I mean, even Forever 21 capitilized on the Blair look and moved on ages ago -- which may explain why the clothes themselves don't really feel like anything new.
Click for full size.
The collection was divided into four categories, each meant to sartorially reflect one of the four main girls on the show. These looks, as anyone with half a brain can probably see, are Blair-inspired. I do like the turquoise belted dress; the pussy bow at the neck is cute and I can see it looking really decent for the office with some black platforms. I also want to get a closer look at the white-and-cream printed mini, which feels more like Anna Sui's runway pieces than most in the Target collection. (Wonder how hard it would be to trade out that blue bow for a black one -- with black tights and accents it could work well.)
Click for full size.
These are the Serena looks (which I think any "Gossip Girl" will agree are not nearly slutty enough). I want a better look at the first dress, which looks promising in the photo -- that spiked neckline is dangerous! -- but could end up being made of that weird shiny material which I am not into. I also rather like the windowpane-detail gray dress, and the leather jacket in the second look is cute, but it's hard to tell what's going on under it. The other two looks are just...mind-bogglingly fugly and don't say Serena to me in the least.
Click for full size.
There are the Jenny looks. Boring. On the show she's a kind of cutting-edge fashion punkette, but there's nothing cutting edge or rebellious about these pieces. The middle look at least gets the idea, but it looks all kinds of wrong, like something your little sister put together off the clearance rack at Hot Topic. I am somewhat intrigued by the black coat in the second look; all the other items look cheap and dated to me.
Click for full size.
All the Vanessa looks are done in this weird 1970s brown-and-orange color scheme, which baffles me a little. (I don't remember Vanessa dressing in head-to-toe sepias on the show, but then I hate her as a character so much that I may not have paid close attention.) None of these pieces do anything for me, with the exception of the printed dress under that inexplicable puffer vest in the second look, which looks adorable and is giving me flashbacks to Sui's Fall 2009 collection. I'll definitely want to get a closer look at that one.
The Anna Sui for Target line is hitting stores on September 13th and will only be available through October 17 -- clearly the company is betting that the collection will be a big draw for low-budget fashionistas. I'm not so sure. What do you think of the looks?
6 comments:
Wow...I think the whole collection looks awful. Truthfully, I have never seen Gossip Girl, so maybe these are dead-on. Nonetheless, I can't find ONE piece here I would wear.
I like the tights. D:
I am obviously not their target demographic on this, but I really don't like very much of it at all.
god even the way they styled the looks is fucking tacky! why, prey tell, is there not a single bow involved in the hair of the "blair" looks? that's like one of her trademarks! also, i have a serious appreciation for how good of a job they do at making blair look amazing in mismatched patterns on that show and i don't see that anywhere here. total bum out.
I like 2 of the Blair dresses, the rest just doesn't excite me. I don't see Serena in any of these looks, but the spike neckline dress might warrant a second look when it arrives in stores.
this whole concept is so weird to me but now that ive seen all the collections together, at least its amusing and somewhat charming!
still, cant see myself doling out any money for those pieces. what a shame.
I don't know anything about Gossip Girl so I don't really understand the themes of the categories...I don't think any of it is particularly heinous, I like the Blair set (that blue dress is pretty cute, but not really my style), I feel they've all got a decent color scheme going...truthfully, I adore the middle two dresses in the Vanessa set, but maybe I'm just a dirty hippie!
Post a Comment