If Lilly For Target Wasn’t Your Thing, This Mall Brand Collab Might Be

With this weekend’s Lilly Pulitzer for Target release, and all the attendant frenzy, still
fresh in our minds, it’s easy to forget that a successful designer collab
doesn’t necessarily require an extravagant announcement, Twitter fights, or even a meticulously plotted hype campaign (à la Alexander Wang for H&M). In fact, Kohl's revealed its latest design collaborator to almost no hubbub at all — although that doesn't make the news any less exciting. 

Yesterday, the retailer announced that Thakoon Panichgul, of namesake New York brand Thakoon, would be its partner in a limited-edition capsule collection. As the seventh participant in the Kohl's DesigNation series, the Thai-American designer follows the likes of Milly's Michelle Smith, Peter Som, Derek Lam, and Elie Saab. His capsule is inspired by the city of London, and each piece in the collection will retail for less than $200.  As Nancy Feldman, Kohl's executive vice president of women's apparel, said in a press release, "DesigNation is built to inspire our customers with designs shaped by some of the world's most popular destinations, and Thakoon Panichgul is the perfect person to bring London to life as he is known for showcasing distinct, global influences through his collections." Considering his previous runway shows have been inspired by far-flung locales like Patagonia and India, it's a natural fit. 

The brand might not have the same mass popularity of Lilly Pulitzer (we can't imagine Thakoon fans flocking to social media at every step in the collaboration process, for example), but over the years Thakoon has carved a niche within the industry for his feminine, modern, and highly detailed designs. He's beloved by Anna Wintour (she famously praised him in the 2009 Vogue documentary The September Issue ), he won international recognition when Michelle Obama wore a floral print Thakoon dress at 2008's Democratic National Convention, and he ruled the red carpet when Emma Stone donned a pink two-piece of his making to the 2014 Met Gala.

Even though they get plenty of shine from such big-name fans, Thakoon's designs — from his signature white shirting to the rich, patterned knits from his fall '15 collection — speak for themselves. Plus, with collabs for GAP and Target already under his belt, as well as his own diffusion line, Thakoon Addition, this is one designer who knows how to translate his aesthetic for a lower-priced market. Thakoon for Kohl's hits stores this fall, so check back here for updates.