>> Alexander McQueen's new McQ Alexander McQueen for Target collaboration was a shock to many — but the line, all priced under $129.99, makes sense to the designer, especially in these tight times: "I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth."

He was hesistant about the prospect at first — "I've never understood Target" — but he chose to launch a new designer initiative with Target over say, working with H&M or Topshop, because its just part of his renegade style: "We’d always been approached by people like H&M and other high street [retailers] in England to do things. I’m not very fond of following the norm. I didn’t want to follow Stella [McCartney] at H&M or Karl Lagerfeld at H&M. I didn’t see the point of it. I like to infiltrate an area that’s not really aware of me, as such."

That targeted area?  The Midwest: "Apart from the East and West Coasts, my company doesn’t have any visibility in the US.  I always liked the idea of people in the Midwest wearing my clothes.  There is no way the main line could go to Middle America. I’m not getting any [benefit from the Target association] for the main line. This is a great taste of McQ in areas where it doesn’t exist."

But enjoy the opportunity while it lasts, McQueen doesn't expect to make this a habit: "Target is just one season. I don’t like to repeat myself. It’s a one-off and that makes it an eclectic collection. It’s great as pieces that will never exist again, and for me it’s a good marketing strategy. If I do it all the time, it dilutes the concept."

A first look at a t-shirt, pants, mesh dress, and tank from the McQ Alexander McQueen for Target line.
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>> Ever the enfant terrible grown up, Alexander McQueen has already used his new McQ partnership with Target to thumb his nose at Topshop.  Now that the collaboration has gone public, the invitation for the McQ pressday, which read, "Chopshop, Higher Street Fashion," makes for an obvious dig, since McQueen is taking his British business elsewhere.

Speaking of the McQ-Target deal, a few more details have come to light.  The initiative that McQueen is kick-starting for Target, Designer Collaborations, involves established designers picking a muse to work from; Lee chose Leila Moss, lead singer of The Duke Spirit, to inspire his collection of studded sleeveless shirtdresses, zipper cardigans, tuxedo blazers, gray denim studded jackets, skinny jeans, and mermaid tattoo-printed strapless dresses.
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>> It was a crazy rumor in August, and now it's crazily true.  Target has been courting Alexander McQueen — and he's obliged.  In March, the mass retailer is launching a new fashion initiative, Designer Collaborations, which sounds very similar to what H&M does every holiday season — bring well-established designers in to do clothes at Target prices.

First up?  Alexander McQueen, who will be drawing from his McQ collection — not McQueen mainline — for his limited-run McQ Alexander McQueen for Target line, in stores March 1 through April 11, with rock'n'roll influence, studs, and tattoo-print fabrics all in mind.  Go International will still be continuing, because it focuses on emerging designers, and additional Designer Collaborations are said to be in the pipeline.
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>> THE MODELIZER —Post-runway show, some designers give the models the clothes or shoes they wore down the catwalk, others gift handbags or jewelry, but Alexander McQueen?  He opts for a t-shirt.  This season, it was black with spattered ivory and lime paint and a purple heart — as seen on Alyona Osmanova — and "the girls hold onto them like treasure, wearing them season in and season out." [Go Backstage]

>> INSIDER WIRE —Alexander McQueen may have wiggled his bunny tail at the audience of his Spring 2009 show last week, but guess who wasn't there to witness such cheekiness?  Not Anna Wintour, Carine Roitfeld, nor Aliona Doletskaya . . . odd, hmm? [Chic Report]