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Target

Cut-price designer gear by Missoni crashes web site of chain store Target

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

September 14, 2011 | 2 min read

Who doesn't want a designer skirt for $40 from a firm used to sticking price tags of thousands on its products? But Target store chain in America is criticised as buyers swamp its stores.

Shoppers across the US also invaded the company's stores and cleaned them out of Missoni products - from bikes to patio sets . Last night thousands of items scooped by early shoppers reappeared on e-bay at much higher prices.

Missoni’s clothing usually costs hundreds or thousands of dollars, but it designed a number of cheaper items for Target, like a $40 skirt in its signature zigzag design and a $600 patio set.

As its stores were swamped, a spokeswoman for Target said, “The excitement for this limited-time designer collection is unprecedented.”

But on Twitter and other social media sites, disappointed shoppers posted angry messages .

Ian Schafer, chief executive of the digital marketing firm Deep Focus told the New York Times,“It’s a little bit embarrassing for one of the nation’s largest retailers to have a Web site that can’t support a rush — it’s not like they’re any strangers to rushes. “It’s saying, ‘We’re so popular we had to turn people away at the door.’ Then get a bigger place.” Earlier low-price designer collections for Target have included Calypso St. Barth, Liberty of London, Rodarte and Zac Posen. The Missoni pieces at Target were mostly under $40, for instance. Missoni items at upmarket store Bergdorf Goodman cost up to $12,000. Target hyped the Missoni line before Tuesday, releasing photos to fashion bloggers, and holding a party with celebrities and fashion editors. Vogue gave the collection pages of coverage in its August issue, "perhaps the first and last time that a $30 rug made it into that magazine," said the Times. Actresses Jessica Alba and Jessica Simpson talked on Twitter about the line. “I dreamt about the Missoni 4 Target bike last night,” tweeted Ms. Alba , referring to a $400 bike covered with zigzags. “I want that bike too!!! So cute!” said Jessica Simpson .
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