Countdown to Jason Wu for Target: Frenzy or Flat?

Pictured: This white blouse with black tie is a web exclusive from the Wu collection

If I told you that some nice looking bags made of straw, and some polyester bow ties blouses and skirts, plus a T-shirt with a black cat on it,  were going to hit the racks tomorrow at Target, would you think these were fashion must haves? The answer is probably no.  But if I told you that the designer who did Mrs. Obama’s Inauguration gown, Jason Wu, was launching a collection at Target on Superbowl Sunday (tomorrow), well, then you might get considerably more excited.  The Washington Post is already predicting “inevitable lines” and perhaps a sell-out.  I’m not so sure.  This is not like the Missoni launch.  Missoni was a luxury brand with high prices that has never been accessible to the mass-market because of the price tags.  When Missoni came to Target, suddenly, it was within reach of the average shopper.  It’s like if Louis Vuitton had a sale, and you could buy  a coveted bag for $50.00. With the Missoni for Target collection, we saw true shopping madness, including hoarding, fighting in store and stratospheric eBay listings designed to cash in. There are still over 7,000 listings for Missoni for Target on eBay, so how successful was the hoard and resell strategy?  I’m not sure that new designer Mr. Wu will inspire the same “must have” mentality.  I don’t foresee pushing and shoving in store over this one.  I do foresee perhaps a few Target website hiccups, because poor Target.com still seems to be hobbling along.  I would expect poor performance and slow response time for sure tomorrow.  Some of the Jason Wu for Target collection will be available only via the Target website, so that means you can’t get it in store.

Pictured: Online exclusives: this blue “dress” and tote will be sold only on Target.com.

Shoppers looking for web exclusives like the long-sleeved blouse with black tie, the cuffed navy shorts and the navy dotted shift dress could send the fragile Target website plummeting.  One telling barometer of how the Jason Wu collection will sell is eBay.  Last week a few items from the collection were listed for sale, and they are still listed for sale.  Nothing sold out at the prices certain sellers inflated for eBay.  Someone was actually trying to charge $75.00 for the cat T-shirt!

My prediction for this collection: I don’t expect a sell out.  There are some cute items. I don’t think any of it is to die for.  Check the list of stores selling Jason Wu before you head out, and remember a straw bag, no matter whose name is on it, is still a straw bag that won’t last.  As for the lace print T-shirtthat will be on sale, that reminds me of the Behnaz Sarafpour collection shirts done a few years ago. Not terribly unique in my opinion.   What do you think?