From WWD Issue 07/18/2011
Target is partnering with Gwen Stefani to give babies, children and tweens an affordable taste of Stefani’s Japanese anime-inspired sensibility with Harajuku Mini. The brand, which will be introduced in Target stores and on target.com in November, with additional deliveries planned, is a takeoff of Stefani’s successful Harajuku Lovers young contemporary apparel and accessories collection and Harajuku Lovers fragrance.
Prices for the fashion-forward Harajuku Mini collection range from $3.99 to $29.99.
“Harajuku Mini is a dream come true,” said Stefani. “I’ve always wanted to do a cool children’s fashion line inspired by the supercute and playful kid’s clothing you find in Japan. The whole idea is about being creative, expressing your own individuality and having fun getting dressed. Target has given me the creative freedom to design kid’s clothing that is different than most anything you usually see out there with great quality, attention to detail and most of all, available at amazing prices.”
Stefani is a bona fide style influencer. Her upscale L.A.M.B. collection has been successful since its 2004 launch, according to retailers. She also designs accessories and footwear. The Harajuku Lovers fragrance quintet was considered a blockbuster when it bowed in 2008. And Stefani keeps her franchises fresh by developing new artwork and graphics. Harajuku Lovers has a sense of fun and whimsy with a Pop Art aesthetic.
“Gwen is a creative force and her ability to create fun, wearable fashion made her an ideal partner for Target,” said Trish Adams, senior vice president of apparel and accessories, Target.
Calypso St. Barth for Target, a limited-time collection that launched in May, offered apparel for babies and girls. Other collaborations for the younger set have included Petit Tresor for Target, Appaman for Target and Little Seed for Target. However, most of Target’s designer partnerships, including Rodarte, Zac Posen and Thakoon, have been in the juniors arena. “Our strategy of differentiation isn’t exclusive to our more mature guests,” said a Target spokesman. “We like to put the icing on the cake for all our guests. That is the fun, the flavoring of the assortment.”