Nothing says springtime like caftans, tunics, cotton dresses and tie-dye.  You can find all of those in the Calypso St. Barth for Target collection.  It hit Target stores and online on May 1st and lasts until June 11th.  The limited-edition line is perfect for playtime in the sun.  That would include bikinis and T-shirts, as well as bags, necklaces and other accessories.

Karl Lagerfeld is collaborating with Macy’s department store to bring us a limited-edition capsule collection.  We have coveted his work at Chanel since forever, and now he is bringing more accessible pieces to the masses.  The designer was the first to team up with H&M several years ago, and he has returned to the mass market arena.  How will Karl translate his couture sensibilities to a more affordable market?  This will be an eagerly anticipated line.  You will find his designs at Macy’s when it launches next fall. 

Lanvin for H&M’s runway show took place last night with one of kind couture pieces re-worked from the collection.  Beautifully made pieces strolled down the catwalk and embodied the personality and flair of haute couture.  It lived up to the buzz that surrounded this venture for months.  Each model was accessorized with an abundance of necklaces, hats and gloves for theatrical effect.  Lanvin and H&M gave us a lesson in the art of the dramatic.  Many of these pieces will be auctioned for charity, and the proceeeds will go to UNICEF. 

A second wave of Mulberry for Target bags are due to hit selected stores on November 14th, just in time for the Holidays.  You can choose between bold prints or classic velvet and patent.  The totes and satchels are the stand-outs in this collection, they have the signature silhouettes of original Mulberry at a budget friendly price-point.  A bag is a great holiday gift to yourself, and to the stylish ladies on your list.

We finally get to hear Alber Elbaz’, artistic director at Lanvin, approach to his Lanvin for H&M collection.  The designer shares his views on the collaboration, he sees it as H&M doing high-end goods instead of Lanvin doing a lower-priced line.  This statement is very insightful because he concisely states his approach to this venture; it states the cares and deliberation that went into each piece.  The video gives you a better look at the gorgeous dresses and accessories as well. 

New images from the Lanvin for H&M collaboration are here for your viewing pleasure.  The Fall/Winter 2010-2011  collection hits stores in the U.S. on November 20th.  We have a much better view of the gorgeous dresses that are coming to an H&M near you.  There are so many pretty party dresses in store, some with tulle and great texture and others in glorious colors and prints.  The accessories are equally impressive – shoes, necklaces and clutches in vibrant colors and prints cheerful enough to chase away the winter blues.  This collaboration is already proving to be a major success before its debut. 

Related: New: Second Lanvin for H&M Ad is Here

Preview: Lanvin for H&M Ad

The second Lanvin for H&M ad has been leaked.  This time we’ve gotten glorious floral prints with beautiful draping and great shapes.  The leopard print accessories are equally desirable.  A short film on this collection debuts on November 2nd, and we can hardly wait. Expect a fashion show on November 18th at the Pierre Hotel in New York, and some of those looks will be auctioned online for the benefit of UNICEF.  Everyone wins with this much anticipated collection.  There are so many exciting activities leading up to its debut in stores on November 23rd.

Zac Posen Spring 2010

Zac Posen is coming to Target.  His Go International collection will be available at Target on April 25th to May 30th.  We are in an environment where high-end designers are opting to make their clothes more accessible to the mass market. 

Posen has been very busy lately; only two weeks ago he announced his diffusion ‘hipster’ line to be sold exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue.  His Z Spoke collection with Saks will go for $78 to $675.  The young designer’s high-end collection goes for $900 to $12,000, but the price point for the Go International collection has not been announced.  It’s fair to say that the price point will be significantly lower than even the Z Spoke collection because previous Go collections at Target have retailed from $14.99 to $149.99.

Designing clothes for the mass market improves the bottom-line, and it increases the name recognition of the designer.  The consumer also wins because they will have access to affordable  merchandise from a high-end designer.  Only the lines at Target will tell the full story next spring, but it’s likely that the story will be a very good one for Zac Posen.

Zac Posen to Design for Target [WWD]

Related: Zac Posen is the Latest to Launch Lower-Priced Line

The marriage of the luxury market with mass retail has become common place lately, yet learning of a new collaboration is often met with excitement.  Jimmy Choo for H&M is one of those joint ventures being met with great anticipation, and rightly so.   Have you seen the collection?  They have many covetable pieces.  It includes accessories like shoes, sandals, bags and jewelry.  The dresses are sexy and sparkly too; can we say New Year’s Eve?  You don’t take my word for it,  here is a sneak preview of the collection.  All of these items will be in stores on November 14th.  Dress in layers because the odds are you’ll have a little wait outside on line, but it will be worth if you can walk away with that black one shoulder leather dress.

Sneak Peek! Jimmy Choo For H&M [FABSUGAR]

Anna Sui’s line for Target has made our  Rollcall list this week.  It will be in stores on September 13th, but there will be a special pop-up shop on Fashion’s Night Out.  Fashion’s Night Out is on September 10th to coincide with the start of New York Fashion Week.  Anna Sui’s line is influenced by the CW drama Gossip Girl, and you can bet it will be a hit among tweens and teens returning to school.  The great thing about the line is that it has a separate collection of items for each young lady on the show, Serena, Blair, Jenny and Vanessa.  Click here for a look at the collection.

Anna Sui for Target Collection Gets Its Own Pop-up Shop [The Cut]