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Dec 05, 2007 @ 9:55am

erin heads.jpg When riffing on Erin Fetherston for Target, most fashion publications have fixated on the heart bags, the overdose of cute, and the very wonderful white bubble coat.

But we have something different to discuss, and it's the way Erin's taken her Target collection and turned it into the biggest advertisement ever.

Sure, all Target designers get a cool TV commercial (though Erin's, we thought, was the coolest), but the California native has taken it one step further:

She's made all of her models wear yellow wigs with heavy bangs - just like Erin's actual hair - and she's also designed a print of her face, that lines the inside of her bags and her coats. It's also stamped on a $10 thermal t-shirt that you can buy to broadcast your Fetherston love.

Will Erin's stab at branding result in higher sales of her actual, expensive brand?

Hopefully - especially since we hear Target designers are paid very little - about the cost of mounting a runway show - to create their capsule collections.

posted by guest

Dec 05, 2007 10:52AM

Is it just me or did everyone hate this collection? Except for the heart tote and the heart scarf (which is oh so cute with its hand pockets) everything else looked kind of cheap and not so well made. Cute in theory, but no in reality.

posted by Katie H

Dec 05, 2007 11:08AM

I love the heart scarf, and I also got a cute red long sleeve t. The black velvet/ satin skirt was cute if it fit. However, the white bubble coat was not good on me!! It didn't hang correctly, it just looked too big instead of fashionably voluminous. But the top part of it was nice. If I was made of $ I would get it altered, but I returned it.

But the dresses- I am so over baby doll, so yeah. But I like EF's branding!

posted by Laia

Dec 05, 2007 11:11AM

I was totally grossed out by that tee with her face on it. I don't really like Erin Featherston at all, but still wanted to give her Target collection a chance. Almost everything looks like its made for tweens. And there was a red velvet dress that screamed Christmas portrait at JCPenney. Some of the tuxedo-ish pieces were cute, though.

Dec 05, 2007 11:39AM

i still dont understand the hype about the terrible heart bag. sorry.

posted by amandabug

Dec 05, 2007 11:47AM

if that's her strategy, it's a great one. between the commercial and her face print on the clothes, she's put herself in more teenagers' closets than any mention in teen vogue can give her. although i have to mention: the blonde wigs aren't in the target print ads, which are probably more ubiquitous and noticeable than the lookbook photos.

Dec 05, 2007 12:42PM

I saw that illustration of her and my first reaction was a "drawing photoshop chop job" to her mug. While she's not even close to ugly, that drawing is being meta generous.

As for the clothes, I felt they were infantilizing and childish. I am over 30 and have breasts, not feigning 12 and waitin' to begin menstruating.

That being said, did anyone try on those uber high-waisted pants with the bizarre wide bow belt? I was going to but had on seriously wrong under wear for pants like that (which is a problem when you buy those things. G-strings and thongs will show, grannies will show too. This should seriously be another topic. Ladies who bougth those thin grey ant bottoms last spring will feel me on this one).

posted by old soul

Dec 05, 2007 12:53PM

Yeah ... the whole collection was a little too precious for me. The consumer in me is a little turned off by her in-your-face personal branding (is it about her own personal celebrity or her design talent?), but the marketer in me is impressed with her determination and moxie. I'm still not going to buy it, though.

posted by Stef Alicia

Dec 05, 2007 4:15PM

My least favorite items were definitely the ones with her face all over them, but I actually really like this collection. I bought the tiered dress in champagne to wear to my birthday party and it worked out fabulously, and I'm eying the red satin jumper. I saw someone on campus wearing the bubble coat and it made me almost consider buying it and a friend has the grey cardigan. I'd say we're being a little harsh on Ms. Fetherston, it's a pretty solid collection compared to some of the others that have debuted (I barely paid attention to Alice Temperley).

As for the marketing aspect of things, she may be onto something. We definitely need to keep an eye on her.

posted by hannah

Dec 05, 2007 5:13PM

I actually bought that shirt! It's really cute, and nice quality for Target. But then again, I'm 15, and I rather like cutesy things. I also got the gray cardigan, which seems to be better quality than everyone says it is. I thought the dresses looked really cheap, and that heart bag! Everyone's so obsessed with it and, while I love heart shapes, I think that bag is hideous.

posted by chowmeng

Dec 05, 2007 10:39PM

It's really... because that shirt scares me. None of her dresses fit me well and they actually made me look like grandma-ish. I'm 17. I only bought her heart bag and I love it. I still can't believe H&M copied it.

Dec 06, 2007 5:11PM

i don't understand her as a designer. I liked some of the pieces in her show but I don't understand the whole girly, tea party look. Who is she designing for? It's one thing to make pretty girly dresses and go for the whimsical look at times but she seems to be making a name out of this. Has anyone seen the dollhouse video she made for target? I don't get it.