In the year I’ve been blogging, I’ve written about plenty of collaborations between mass market merchants and high-end designers, from Target and Altuzarra to Madewell and Sézane.
But there are so many collaborations competing for our attention and dollars, I can’t help but be cynical whenever a new one is announced.
I was most recently dispirited by the Target x Lily Pulitzer collection. For one, the clothes just weren’t that great — see my review here — and moreover, I was dismayed by the way the collection catalyzed a hyper-aggressive materialism, snatching the sanity of shoppers. Target’s publicity machine successfully manufactured borderline hysteria, which may have been a high point for the retailer, but it was dreadful fashion, as Robin Givhan noted.
So when I heard that Kohl’s was doing a collaboration with Milly (in conjunction with the CFDA), I was HIGHLY skeptical. But after reading this write-up by Hallie of corals + cognacs, I took a closer look at this collection. And this collaboration is GOOD. So good, it may be the best I’ve seen since the earliest days of the Target/Go Collection collaborations (circa 2006).
Today, I’m wearing the Kohl’s/Milly cropped striped top, which is constructed of a slipper version of scuba material and cut beautifully. (The darts across the bodice look wonderful in the flesh.)
The top was constructed by a machine, so it doesn’t fit perfectly (although a quick trip to the tailor could fix that). But this is a good example of the collection’s dynamic graphics and sophisticated simplicity. The collection’s inspiration is supposedly from Capri, although I think the looks read more Roman Holiday that coastal getaway.
This particular top ($30) hits at the perfect spot for high-waisted A-line skirts, creating an innocent 1950s silhouette straight out of a sock hop. I wore it to work and felt like a million dollars — especially since it was the first day I could walk to work in a skirt without tights.
In addition to the top, I also picked up this Tenenbaums-inspired dress ($52), this Dolce & Gabanna-esque citrus tee ($30) and this $40 pair of navy pants (because apparently, I’m a harem pants-aholic).
What do you guys think of the Kohl’s x Milly collaboration? I’d love to hear what you think!
