The Missoni for Target collection is not just another clothing line but a cavalcade of zigzag patterns, stripes and prints on clothes, furniture, household wares and even a bicycle.
Like the interlocking C’s of Chanel or the swank LV symbol of Louis Vuitton, the zigzag patterns and knits of the Italian fashion house Missoni are iconic. But it doesn’t mean they had to slather the whole collection with a superfluous amount of zigs and zags.
Truthfully, the mod style of the clothes makes one question whether the average student would traipse around campus head-to-toe in literal pattern wear. It is questionable whether anyone would really wear the $29.99 striped sweater atop another $54.99 striped sweater dress like the ads would suggest. It takes someone really brave or really skinny to look good and spend so much money to look like a kaleidoscope.
What worked in the collection were the clothes which used prints in moderation, such as the $29.99 jumper, which comes in a tame floral print. Other notable clothing items were the swanky $19.99 scarfs and $29.99 flats, which are subtle enough to fit into the daily wardrobe of a student. Likewise, the $39.99 rain boots are, some could say, “super cute,” and would be perfect for those occasional L.A. torrential rains.
And honestly, while the clothes don’t thrill, the household products of the collection definitely do, despite rather exorbitant prices which may be verging on unrealistic for the average student. One such item was the $99.99 floral print bedspread, which is way outside of the possible economic range for a student on a tight budget. However, there were other things perfect for adding a frugal but classy touch to a college apartment, such as $3.99 striped plates, $29.99 pillows made of ribbons and a $19.99 striped mug set, which sure beats constantly buying those red Solo cups every Thursday for another forgettable night.
Speaking from the perspective of a poor college student, the price point of the collection is, disappointingly, a bit of a drag. Even the practical bicycle, which looks like something out of hipster pipe dreams, was $399.99, also known as almost a month’s rent.
Despite being known for its knits and zigzag print, Missoni relied too much on the notion that zigzag equals luxury status to attract consumers, with prices that could easily equal the cost of a month’s worth of food.
When it comes to decorating the apartment though, a touch of the Missoni stripe goes a long way for the price, and it would be worth sacrificing that Ackerman Greenhouse salad for a set of Missoni (for Target) dinnerware.