It used to be that big-name designer labels sought to make fashion affordable for a younger, more casual customer.
Marc Jacobs launched his diffusion Marc by Marc Jacobs label with great success in 2001, and others like See by Chloe (also launched in 2001) and McQ by Alexander McQueen (which originated in 2006) followed suit.
Haute names like Viktor and Rolf and Roberto Cavalli have launched budget-friendly capsule collections for chain retailer H&M, and Target (or shall I say, “Tar-jay”?) has become an unlikely fashion heavy-hitter with its GO International design collaborations that bring the styles of Proenza Schouler, Erin Fetherston, and Temperley, just to name a few, to the masses.
The line’s main selling point is that it pairs the same classic styling J. Crew shoppers have grown up loving with better craftsmanship, unique detailing, and “couture-quality” fabrics (the J. Crew Collection reportedly sources from the same companies that provide fabric to real high-end labels like Chanel and Vera Wang).
