Target Finally Scored A Hot Celebrity Designer After Recruiting Him For 5 Years
Lim will release a collection of men's and women's clothing, handbags, and accessories on September 15, Target said on its website.
Lim is well-regarded in high fashion and has dressed celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Jessica Biel, and Kanye West.
Target had been courting Lim for more than five years, reports Elizabeth Holmes at The Wall Street Journal. Lim deflected because his brand was "tiny" and he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to design a collection at such a large scale.
But today, Lim's lines are selling in 400 stores, so he felt he was ready.
"I wanted to go in and say, 'I don't need to do this, but I would like to,'" he said.
The collaboration with Lim comes on the heels of Target's highly successful Prabal Gurung line.
Last year, several high-low collaborations flopped, leading to speculation that consumers didn't care about the brand names anymore.
Target's Neiman Marcus collaboration was the most notable example of a line that totally bombed.
But Target's Prabal Gurung line fixed many of the problems that plagued Neiman Marcus.
Instead of featuring obscure products (dog bowls?) from dozens of designers, Target allowed Gurung to simply focus on the florals and dresses he does best.
That strategy paid off, and it looks like Target is staying the course for its collaboration with Lim.