A preview of the hotly anticipated collaboration between Diane Von Furstenberg and Target was held on March 15 and 16, and if the crowd has its say — the collection is a hit. The unveiling was held in New York City at The Shed, an arts and events space at the Hudson Yards where Ms. von Furstenberg was on the board of directors that oversaw the building’s design and construction.
Set to arrive at Target stores and Target.com on Saturday, March 23, the collection will include over 200 items including apparel, home and beauty products in new and archival prints. The collaboration was designed by the fashion icon and her granddaughter, Talita von Furstenberg, and marks the 50th anniversary of DVF’s legendary wrap dress.
My experience at the preview
I arrived 15 minutes before the event started and the line was long. That gave me a chance to chat with the other people in line. The person behind me traveled from Boston to get an up-close look, and hoped to pick something up, while the woman in front of me was armed with a large shopping bag and laser-focused on getting clothes.
The line moved quickly after the doors opened and some racks were already depleted by the time I entered. The team staffing the event was enthusiastic and helpful. One group was dedicated to replenishing the merchandise and fetching sizes for customers. Shoppers were respectful of each other's space and generally in a great mood..
I passed the time on the checkout line chatting with the two ladies behind me; we showed each other what we intended to buy and what we passed over. We all left with cute reusable shopping bags that are now on eBay priced from $35 to $125, and a free bottle of gel nail polish that was a triple collaboration between Target, DVF and Sally Hansen.
What's in the collection?
Attendees were greeted with these two big displays of the apparel. It was a great way to get a sense of the clothes and how they fit as there were no dressing rooms. The cheerful people staffing the event were also wearing what was for sale on the racks. Many of the prints were instantly recognizable. The continued appeal of the archival prints and patterns demonstrates the timeless appeal of von Furstenberg's style.
The collection, including the dresses, come in a range of sizes from XXXS to 4X. You will also find jumpsuits, work out gear, shorts, pajamas, robes and slip dresses in case the many iterations of the iconic wrap dress just isn't for you.
Among the cutest offerings were the mini me versions of the women's fashions. The children's range includes adaptive versions specially designed for sensory needs and the fit was updated to allow for better coverage while wearing incontinence underwear, diapers or briefs.
The workout gear and accessories was where my eyes got wide. I bought a yoga mat and a reusable shopping bag. The yoga mat came with a carrying strap in DVF's signature leopard pattern and retailed for $50. The shopping bags are reversible, have a zippered pocket where you can fold and store the bag and cost $10.
There was more than just clothes. The homeware collection was as colorful and coordinated as you might expect. There was dishware, glassware and samples of the made to order furniture that will be available for purchase on the web site.
The headboard comes in seven colorways and the cost ranges from $500 to $650 depending on the size. You can outfit your entire bed in von Furstenberg's prints with sheets, pillow and duvet covers for sale. You can coordinate your bathroom with complementary shower curtains and towels.
An interactive experience with colors and patterns to reveal your style
This friendly staffer was dressed in a unitard from the collection, and was manning one of four stations that each had four cards with different patterns and colors. We were invited to choose one from each station and take them to a kiosk where another team member would examine the cards, read a chart and tell you about your style. I was told my taste was "daring and chill with joyful style and classic aesthetic." I thought it was a creative way to engage the customer and enjoyed the experience.
The back of the cards have a quote from Diane von Furstenberg: "Colors are the letters, prints are the words. Wear your story." That's advice I'll take.
