Friday, October 17, 2008

Right On Target

I do love clever marketing folk.

Target has scored another bullseye with its latest additions to the Designers-for-Target program. After looking to revitalise Target's image as something other than the place to buy cute Bonds underwear and kids' clothes, Target borrowed Marks & Spencer's strategy (circa 10 years ago and borrowed by many more since - H&M with Kylie and Madge, TopShop with Mossy etc) and dove into commissioning a designer range to appeal to the cashed-up-price-savvy female market in the early 2000s. Designers to date have included Stella McCartney (who caused shopping mayhem and some of the most ridiculous frenzied shopping activity Australia has ever seen), Zac Posen, Josh Goot (underrated I thought - I bought a couple of pieces and love them still) and Collette Dinnigan (with her Wild Roses lingerie collection which is updated regularly and is absolutely gorgeous). Now Target is looking to diversify and use the same idea in different areas of the store: Jenny Kee with a typically bright, cheerful, colourful and distinctively Aussie-looking homewares range (including bean bags, prints for the wall, vases, bedspreads - you bloody name it!) and Napoleon Perdis with his "Set" range of make-up.

The Napoleon Set includes the Glam Set, Rebel Set, Jet Set and Vamp Set looks for the discerning female face. It all looks pretty whiz-bang, but I have to admit to being a tad surprised by the pricing - it's not as cheap as expected, with prices only about $10-$12 less than the premium Napoleon range. No matter, cheaper is cheaper I suppose. As for Jenny Kee's range - it all does look delightfully fun, and so fabulously Jenny Kee. Jenny Kee is one of those women you wish you were friends with - she's from an ethnically diverse background, was designing with full-on colour when Australia was boring and bland as hell back in the 60s, ran away to London after meeting the Beatles (and shagging John Lennon!) in Sydney, has been through the extremes in life: racist taunts, survived the Glanville train crash, Italian Vogue, divorce, the suicide of a lover, but has always stayed true to her Australian roots. I also love the fact that Jenny Kee has been made accessible to wider Australian shoppers - it's not an exclusive item in her Flamingo Park Salon - it's Target! In stores Thursday.

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