Shoppers, rejoice! Today, Target announced the highly anticipated lineup for its spring designer collectionâand it couldnât be better. Editor-loved labels RHODE, Fe Noel, and Agua Bendita have officially been named as Targetâs latest limited-time partners. All three companies are woman-founded and owned, so thereâs no better way to round out Womenâs History Month than with a bit of retail therapy.
Available online and in stores on Saturday, April 15, the limited-run collections are exclusive to the retailer. Each label brings a distinct warm-weather capsule, but the entire assortment comprises more than 100 items ranging from $15 to $48, making these designer brands more accessible to all shoppers, in true Target fashion. Also appealing to the everyday consumer is the inclusive size range of XXS to 4XLâstill somehow a rarity in the industry.
The collection is perfect for your spring and summer shopping needs, and is chock-full of vacation-ready apparel, swim, and accessories to take you from the beach to the street. Picture: printed matching sets, vibrant beach bags, and on-trend coverups that all tie in with each designerâs rich cultural background and influences
Ahead of the announcement, ELLE.com had the chance to preview the collections and speak with each designer, all of whom emphasized that Target encouraged them to think big, explore cultural nods, and embrace their own brand DNA.
From RHODE, you can expect to see signature features like braided belts and ruching similar to that of their bestselling Pia Dress. âWe want people to dress for the fun they want to have this season,â says RHODE co-founder Phoebe Vickers. Amen to that.
âWe were told to go wild, do whatever we want, and have fun with it, and then [the Target team] took what we had and made it come to life,â says Purna Khatau, Vickersâ business partner, adding that because Target has such extensive resources, they didnât have to âdumb anything downâ from RHODEâs typical offerings. The collection also marks the brandâs first foray into swimwearâand it isnât the only one in the lineup to enter a new category.
â[This collection] really encapsulates everything that Fe Noel is,â says Fe Noel herself. The designerâs capsule carries her signature Grenadian-inspired prints, breezy silhouettes, and puffy sleeves. For the first time, however, she got to experiment with accessories, like bags, sunglasses, and jewelry. âWe took parts of every collection weâve ever put out and really created these pieces so that when people see it, they feel that theyâre getting authentic Fe Noel. Theyâre getting the vibe…in all its glory.â
As for Colombian brand Agua Bendita, founders Catalina Ălvarez and Mariana Hinestroza were able to maintain the brandâs classic hand-printed designs as they scaled to Targetâs global audience. âWeâre proudly handmade, so every single detail and the prints are hand-illustrated in Colombia at our Agua Bendita factory. We created them specifically for this project with Target,â says Ălvarez, noting that they kept all of the best aspects of Agua Bendita and infused them into this collection. The two confess they started their brand in earnest as a way to make their own outfits for parties, and that same fun-loving energy is evident throughout the capsule.
âTarget has a long history of bringing to our guests the worldâs best designers at amazing prices, and our partnership with Agua Bendita, Fe Noel, and RHODE is another great example of that,â said Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Target in a press release. âThese are bold, distinctive, women-founded brands inspired by their own roots and cultures, and I know our guests will absolutely love them.â
If you need a refresher, Targetâs Fall 2022 Designer Collection featured La Ligne, Kika Vargas, and Sergio Hudson. In the past, the retailer has also collaborated with designers such as Missoni, Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, Altuzarra, and Rodarte. Remember to mark your calendars, because just like years past, this one is sure to sell out quicker than you can say âTar-jay.â
Associate Fashion Commerce Editor
Meg Donohue is the Associate Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com. Her passions include spicy foods, sustainability, and the Y2K remake of Charlieâs Angels. She will never stop hoping for a One Direction reunion tour.