Once upon a time, someone at Target hit on a brilliant idea: bring in mid-range accessories designers and have them design a bag (or bag and shoe) line for the people.
But this story doesn't have a happy ending.
It would be unrealistic to expect a $50 handbag or $30 shoes to be on par with their $600 and $300 counterparts from the designers' regular lines, but Target’s proven that cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean ugly. eBay buyers are still hunting down Devi Kroell’s oversized Target totes (famously carried by Anne Hathaway, above).
As the owner of the structurally perfect Trigger bag from the designer’s regular line – which, by the way, was bought after massive scrimping and saving – I had hopes that Monica Botkier’s collaboration would be more like Kroell’s and less like the sad-sack offerings from Loeffler Randall and Hollywould. Sadly, she goes where the latter designers have gone before.
The gold and silver crackle bags look dull, and the crackle from the handle immediately came off on my shoulder. The PVC shells of the fuschia hobo and black satchel feel unbreathable, as if carrying one while wearing a cami will result in a blister.
The python embossing looks like shiny, happy plastic (come on, Target, we know you can do better). One accidental flick of my nail, and the embossing started to peel off. And in real life, the goldtone clutch has clashing, plasticky gold accents.
Target should give its customers something affordable, revelant, and attractive – these bags fail on all three levels. And while I can’t speak to their durability, I can tell you that my Loeffler Randall for Target clutch lasted one outing before the attached rosette started to unravel.
Now we're all about finding a chic handbag for less - but we think sites like Urban Outfitters and Nine West usually offer better quality goods than the latest crop from Target.
Have you seen the new Botkier bags for Target? Have you bought one? Tell us what you think of them in the comments section below.
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Totally in agreement. I was psyched to see these, especially after the last Gryson collection, but I felt let down when I saw the “Botkiers” in person…pretty sure no one is going to mistake that Botkier tag for the real deal.
My Gryson on the other hand…I get complements on it every day and makes me respect the company more than Botkier all of a sudden! When you put your name on something, it had better be good, am I right?!
I like the Botkier bags from Target! but i did notice that the gold flecks came off on my hand
while they are definitely not on par with the Kroell bags (i have the Anne Hathaway one in gunmetal) I think you are being a bit harsh. I wouldnt mind buying one for a night out
sing it, sister.
as a botkier devotee (i visited a marigold trigger bag for months in my local boutique), i was sorely disappointed by the target line. not only are the shapes (with the exception of the gold clutch) a snore, the materials look extremely cheap in person. i still think that bags are the one area in which quality ALWAYS trumps quantity. i buy ONE bag at a sample sale every few years. $300 for one bag that lasts for a decade will always trump $30 bags that die within months.