Isaac Mizrahi is back at the center of the bull’s eye.
Confirming a May 18 report in WWD that the designer was expected to return to Target Corp., the retailer named him creative director at large on Monday.
In the newly created role, Mizrahi will serve as a creative adviser to the company’s internal design team while also mentoring talent.
“Great design is deeply human — it ignites confidence and joy, and it’s what guests tell us they love about shopping at Target,” said Cara Sylvester, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Target. “Isaac has always believed, as we do, that great design should be accessible to everyone. What excites me most is the opportunity to pair his creativity and perspective with the incredible talent we already have inside Target as we shape the next chapter of style and design for our guests.”
Mizrahi helped give Target a good deal of its fashion pizazz during its glory days, connecting with the retailer for a five-year run that started in 2002.
Mizrahi pushed to democratize fashion then, including through a high-profile 2004 collaboration with Bergdorf Goodman that brought an extremely high-low vision to the runway.
Now, he’s back at it.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to inspire a brand I care so deeply about,” Mizrahi said. “My partners at Target and I have always shared the idea that great design should belong to everybody, and Target is poised to be the design authority in a way only Target can. My role is to collaborate with its incredible team to bring more joy, style and sophistication to design through storytelling, creativity and a shopping experience that feels even more fun.”
Target said Mizrahi would be:
- Teaming with Gena Fox, senior vice president of design, to serve as a creative adviser weighing in on new product concepts, design innovation and emerging trends while also identifying new partnerships.
- Taking part in a new mentorship this summer designed to “accelerate creative development and provide Target designers with direct access to insights from Mizrahi’s decades-long career in fashion and design.”
- Help build brand and experiential moments with “design-focused collaborations and purpose-driven partnerships, including community engagement initiatives.”
Bringing Mizrahi in is an outward sign of how Target is going back to its bread and butter.
Michael Fiddelke took the reins as chief executive officer in February promising more style savvy.
“Our guests want great design, real value and experiences that delight,” Fiddelke said at the time. “That’s where Target has always been at its best, and it’s what grounds the important work in front of us now.”
Since leaving Target, Mizrahi has kept to his vision of style for the masses, from working to revamp Liz Claiborne to selling on QVC. The designer’s eponymous brand was picked up by brand management company WHP Global in 2022.
