Another bullseye for Target?

It's no secret that I love Target (after all, who doesn't?). I am patently incapable of going to Target without spending at least $100. Sure, I go in with the firm resolve to purchase some deodorant, cat litter, and dish soap. And yet somehow, in my quest for these items, I inevitably find myself wandering into the clothing or home decor departments and finding a few more "goodies" to throw in the cart. I rationalize that since I got it from Target, it must be cheap (alas, not always true) and therefore not really a "splurge". In any case, Target's newest Go International collection is courtesy of Thakoon, a relative newcomer who made a splash dressing Michelle Obama for the DNC last fall. While the dress is admittedly beautiful, it's so reminiscent of various Banana Republic and J.Crew dresses that I've seen over the years, I'd be hard pressed to justify the $1250 price tag. Of course, it's far easier to justify the price of Thakoon's diffusion line at Target. I purchased two of the tops myself and I'm impressed with the quality. Both sweaters (see here and here) look and feel a lot better than your standard issue Target sweater -- no annoying itchiness or strange polyester sheen in sight. Yesterday, my sister wore one of the skirts to a Junior League event we attended and it definitely looked way more high end than its $26.99 price tag. Of all the various outfits in the collection, the three below are my favorite (and were, alas, no longer at my local Target):

What's next on Target's designer hit-list? On the heels of John Derian's successful housewares collection, Orla Kiely (an Irish designer best known for bold retro modern prints on anything from handbags to tea cozies) is debuting a limited edition housewares line for the superstore. This has made it around (and around) the design blogosphere today but if you haven't heard yet, you can catch all the information here at Apartment Therapy, where they've managed to post the entire line (which also includes desk supplies and dishes).

I particularly love the apron (oh the apron!) and the closet organization items -- that hamper makes laundry look cute. I wonder if these items will be available through Target's website as well or if, like John Derian's line, it will only be available in Target stores. The biggest problem with store-only being that very often the entire line isn't available in a single store and/or all the good items are gone by the time I get around to getting over to my local Target. If anyone has the scoop, let me know!