Preview: Jason Wu for Target

Pictured: Jason Wu for Target dress and bag, image via Glamour

A few pictures have now surfaced on the forthcoming Jason Wu for Target collection coming to Target  stores Feb. 5th.  Above is a shot from the look book that was published on Glamour’s website. Another look, (see below), a sleeveless dress with red and white strip trim was published via The New York Time’s T Magazine.

Pictured: A rather patriotic looking Jason Wu  dress and bag from the Target collection. Dress will be $40.00 US, and bag $50.00 US via Target.

I may be committing budget fashion heresy here, but I am underwhelmed.  The dresses look very preppy/sporty and not at all like the sophisticated Jason Wu designs that I know and love. I know it’s a Target line, but I’m hardly chomping at the bit to run out and acquire some of these pieces. I’m missing the floral abstract prints and the feminine touches of the Jason Wu pieces I’ve seen at Saks Fifth Avenue.  I’ll withhold judgement until I’ve seen a few more images from this collection.  But, when I can pick up name brand designers likeMilly by Michelle Smith, Trina Turk, David Meister, and Tory Burch at sample sales, eBay and high-end department stores on clearance with better tailoring and fabrics (for not than much more) than the designer imitations at Target, it’s hard for me to get excited.  I can already hear the prices being racked up by eBay sellers.  I generally respect the opinions of Fashionista.com, but they are calling this one “pretty near perfect” and I just don’t see it.  I also don’t see any overtones of the French New Wave or Jean Seberg in these Jason Wu pictures (one of the Target Rodarte dresses clearly copied a Givenchy that Seberg wore in “Bonjour Tristesse” (1958).

What about you readers? Are you excited for this one? I’m glad to see a talented young designer like Jason Wu doing a big commercial deal with a mass market force like Target, but I don’t think it’s something I want to add to my closet.  Not based on these pictures anyway.