Zac & Zoe for Payless, organic denim at Wal-Mart, Loomstate for Target.
Nowadays, it seems the cure for designer bankruptcy is collaboration, and collaborate they have.
The Loomstate collection will be available April 19, 2009 for a limited time at Target.com and select Target stores nationwide.
Launched in New York City in 2004 by designers Rogan Gregory and Scott Hahn, “Loomstate was founded as a casual brand dedicated to creating demand for certified organic cotton using socially and environmentally responsible methods of production,” says their site.
For the Target collection, t-shirts inspired by nature, authentic washed denim and Loomstate favorites like hoodies, board shorts and easy throw-on dresses will give a nod to their signature casual yet fashion-forward vibe.
Ranging in price from $14.99-44.99 – significantly cheaper than their higher-end line which frequently features pieces for $200 – Gregory and Hahn should be sitting high on the hog while their collection has its run through the Minneapolis-based Target Corporation.
I like Target just as much as the next girl, and I am one of the customers at their over 1,684 stores. I get excited when a new designer sponsors a collection but there’s always that lurking feeling of dread when I think about how well other countries are benefiting from manufacturing the collaboration. I get visions of green Chinese rivers and children sewing furiously.
On a positive note, since 1946 the corporation has given five percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education which currently translates to about $3 million a week. Cheers to them. There’s always the struggle for balance and to do right.
A lot of discussion is happening right now and I’d personally like to know if you think this collaboration will cheapen Loomstate’s reputation or garner them more customers. A designer’s got to do what a designer’s got to do, right?