Designers reach the masses

— Co-written by Valeria Bautista, Carolina Nieto, Victoria Garcia.

High-end fashion is now available for all budgets, thanks to new collaborations.

As you flip through magazines and cast your eyes on the newest pieces designers have introduced for the season, you can’t help but imagine yourself wrapped in such glamour.

Your dream of one day owning a runway piece is now coming true thanks to collaborations between high-end designers and mass retailers.
Stores such as H&M have begun launching lines with Jimmy Choo and Versace. Owning a pair of Jimmy Choo’s used to be a “bond five” fashion aspiration, but H&M made the dream reality in November 2012.

Other recent collaborations include Neiman Marcus for Target, which included multiple designers creating items from housewares to menswear, but since prices didn’t meet peoples’ budgets it was a flop. Prabal Gurung for Target, which included an array of women’s clothing and accessories,
debuted this past February to astonishing numbers.

“It is worth it because it exposes them to the average person that isn’t able to purchase those items,” Diana A. Flores, a SAC fashion-modeling student, said.

For fashion fans this is great chance to express their creativity, by getting favorite brands for a lower price.

Some young designers may have feared that selling clothes through a mass retailer would cheapen their nascent brand, but apparently not.

“It is a good idea because it gives exposure to the products,” Alan Montes, SAC fashion student said.

“You’re bringing your DNA to the market at a lower cost,” designer Gaby Basora said. Basora launched a collection for Target in 2010 and the retailer was able to advertise for her in a way she could never have afforded.

“The exposure isn’t taboo anymore, and the manufacturing process has gotten very sophisticated, so you can get really good quality at a low price,” designer Rogan Gregory said.

Some anticipated collaborations are the Lauren Bush Lauren line at Target, coming in June, and Derek Lam with Kohls launching in May. Lauren’s collaboration will benefit her FEED charity, which provides more than 10 million meals to families.