Today we expand our Ypulse Youth Advisory Board review coverage into fashion with Megan Reid who critiques the recently launched Jean Paul Gaultier for Target line — the latest luxury brand to get the mass market treatment. Arguably the happiest byproduct of the recession for teens and twenty-somethings on a budget, the downturn-boosted trend seems here to stay. Let's here what Meg has to say about this recent offering.

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YAB Review: Jean Paul Gaultier For Target

The line
Last week, Jean Paul Gaultier, currently head designer at Hermés and at the helm of his eponymous couture and ready-to-wear brand, debuted his Jean Paul Gaultier for Target line at 250 stores nationwide.

The buzz
I first read about this Designer Collaboration last October on the New York magazine site, just after seeing shots of his over-the-top, shiny, trench coat-heavy Spring 2010 collection. Since then, major magazines like InStyle, Teen Vogue, and a host of fashion bloggers have chimed in on the styles. I was really excited, but I remember reading a lot of mixed reviews—Papierdoll questioned the styling and appeal of some of the “baffling” press shots, while Jezebel ran the line through a round of “Fab or Fug?” with the header “Someone’s Line for Target Includes Too Much Tattoo Print” (it wasn’t Zac Posen). Most recently, I read this piece from the Huffington Post wondering why the collection was selling out online, but had less luck in-store.

The look
Gaultier says his line was inspired by the American woman, which makes sense since the French designer became a household name designing show-stopping outfits for the Material Girl herself. Target’s mini-site for the collaboration encourages shoppers to “choose their muse,” and style videos highlight punk, Hollywood glam, ingénue, hip hop, and rock ‘n’ roll personae. I could definitely see traces of old-school Madonna in some of the pieces (cropped tights, strapless mini-dresses, ripped off-the-shoulder tees), while striped t-shirts recalled some of Gaultier’s more iconic runway looks. I was especially excited about a sunny yellow halter dress with a swingy full skirt (pictured here) —it looked like something I could layer with a t-shirt or cardigan for class, or just as easily dress up for a family dinner or night out dancing.

The price tag
Prices range from under $20 for swimwear and embellished tees to $199.99 for leather jackets. Though most of the pieces are in a price range that fit my student budget, I always find pricing for higher-end collections at lower-budget stores a little iffy. Sure, paying $50 for a designer dress would generally be a steal. But when that dress with cachet is hung less than ten feet away from an equally adorable outfit for under $15, I tend to think a little longer about my purchase. That said, I’ve bought several pieces from Target’s designer collections with Temperley, Proenza Schouler, and Rodarte (all once they were on sale, though!), and haven’t been disappointed.

The verdict
I went to Target with a friend the day the collection hit stores with the sole purpose of checking out Jean Paul Gaultier for Target. There were several other college-aged girls clustered around the racks when we arrived, and some sizes were already sold out. I found it less sophisticated than other Target Designer Collaborations—some of the pieces, like a clingy, shiny polka dot slip dress, looked much better online than in person. Sadly, the yellow halter dress I tried on didn’t work, but I might go back in a couple of weeks and try a different size.

Overall, though, it seems like this is a collection that tried a little bit too hard to be fun, edgy, and versatile, and in the process lost sight of its audience. The sheer tattoo-print tops were about as hideous as bloggers predicted, but I could tell that from the promo shots. Some fabrics on otherwise cute styles felt absolutely horrible, and pieces like a bustier/bolero combination in business-y pinstripes seemed to have absolutely no appeal, either for high-schoolers or young professionals.

To style conscious Gen. Y-ers, I’d say that the styles are definitely worth a look: maybe it’d take a braver girl than me to pull off Target’s version of Gaultier. There were some pieces I really liked, like his stripey anchor shirts and cute floral-print swimwear. Plus, some styles I was particularly excited about, like a black strapless dress and embellished trench hadn’t yet arrived. I love Gaultier, and the mission to bring high fashion to the masses, but while I save up for the real thing, I’ll look for these Target styles on the 50% off rack.

About Megan

Megan began writing fashion articles for her local newspaper at age 15, and her work has since appeared in publications like Boston magazine, Mountain Living and CosmoGirl. A former art history and theater student, Meg loves traveling, writing postcards, YA lit, learning to bake, and planning adventures. When she isn’t studying, she's probably dragging someone along on a late-night ice cream/Starbucks run. Meg has lived in four countries and six states, and is completing her M.A. in English at the Ohio State University. This is her second year as a Youth Advisory Board member.

Categorized under: Fashion, Youth Advisory Board, Youth Marketing

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