Fab Find: Mossimo Ultra Soft Cowl Neck Sweater

Fans of Mossimo's Ultra Soft line (at Target) will be happy to know that the same cowl neck style from last year is back this season.  Made from the same super-soft rayon/nylon blend as the other Ultra Soft sweaters, this one has a bit more pizazz with the button-cuff accents.  I've already ordered one in Moroccan Blue (shown here) and I'll probably order more in basic black and one of the 6 other available colors. One note: this sweater does tend to run small, so be sure to size up accordingly.

Minnetonka sues Target for ripping off their design...

According to the HuffingtonPost, Minnetonka Moccasins is suing Target for knocking off its signature shoes.

Last week, the Minneapolis-based company - whose earthy moccasins have been spotted on celebrities like Kate Moss and Lindsay Lohan - sued Target for trademark infringement. In court filings, Minnetonka claimed Target copied its iconic "Thunderbird" design, a small, beaded bird on the shoe's toe. Minnetonka has been using the "Thunderbird" on its products for 40 years, the company said.  Shown at left is Target’s version next to Minnetonka’s (photo from actual court documents).

But according to the lawsuit, just months before Target came out with its moccasin earlier this year, the discount chain approached Minnetonka with a business proposal: selling Minnetonka moccasins in Target stores. Target, which is also based in Minneapolis, "made multiple proposals ... offering 'prime real estate on the floor' of Target stores for the moccasins made by Minnetonka," the shoe company wrote in its initial complaint.

It's not clear exactly why Minnetonka rejected Target's proposal or what kind of collaboration (if any) Target wished to initiate. Minnetonka did not respond to requests for comment. In an email, a Target spokeswoman said that the company did not comment on pending litigation. And as of last Friday, the moccasins were no longer for sale on Target.com.

Target's new ad campaign: Falling for You

Target has found a new way to mix commercials and cinema for a brand new kind shopping experience. The Bullseye has enlisted Hollywood heavyweights like “Mad Men” director Phil Abraham and actors Kristen Bell (shown here) Zachary Abel and Nia Long  for a short film in 3 parts that will debut on Target.com starting Oct. 2.

Titled “Falling for You,” the short film is a romantic comedy highlighting fall fashion, beauty and home products  from Target.  In fact, almost everything shown in the film is available at Target.com, and viewers can - for the first time ever - shop for the products seen in each episode without interrupting the film.

A Bullseye View went behind the scenes on set of “Falling for You” for a sneak peek, which you can watch here on YouTube.

Target plans to sidestep holiday price wars...

Don't expect crazy markdown sales at Target when you shop for gifts this holiday season.  According to Business Insider, the Bullseye will opt out of the price wars during the biggest shopping season of the year. And if that means it loses sales to rival chains, that's OK by Target.

"We're not interested in driving sales for the sake of sales, so you might see us lag competitors in terms of comp-store sales increases," said John Mulligan, executive vice president and CFO of Target, during Goldman Sachs' Global Retailing Conference last week. Instead, Target is playing up the first half of its "expect more, pay less," slogan this holiday season, most notably with their upcoming CFDA designer-collab with Neiman Marcus.  "The Neiman Marcus partnership brings something that's about fashion and differentiation, which is how we compete in the marketplace, and not focus so much on the lowest price of a 44-inch television."

Double-Take: Target vs. Room and Board

It's time for another double-take, where we take one item from the Bullseye and match it up against a lookalike - and much pricer - designer piece. Now one of these stylish side chairs is from Room and Board, and will set you back $999 clams.  Called the "Audrey" chair, Room and Board describes this "vintage-inspired chair" as featuring "graceful contours that highlight a subtle, almost armless design". And the other one - called the "Retro Flair Arm Chair" - is from Target and only costs half as much (at $499).  Which one is which?  The answer appears in the comments section below.

Sneak Peek: Nate Berkus for Target

A Bullseye View has posted a video sneak-peek of the upcoming Nate Berkus for Target collection. Watch as Nate and design blogger Nicole Gibbons of So Haute explore New York City and talk about what inspires them, design-wise. Nate also stops by Nicole's Harlem apartment to see what she picked from the line to incorporate in her space:

 

Sale Alert: Orla Kiely for Method Gel Hand Wash

Attention Orla Kiely (and Method) fans! The limited-edition Orla Kiely-designed Method Gel Hand Wash bottles are on sale this week for $2.69 (regularly $2.99).  Scents include Bay Leaf, Vanilla Chai and Primrose; I've personally tried the Bay Leaf and I'm not crazy about it (although I do love Orla's green leaf-pattern design on it).  This sale is only through Sept. 22, and seems to only apply to the Gel Hand Wash (not the Foam Hand Wash, which comes in a slightly taller, triangle-shaped bottle).

Correction: I was at Target today and the Foam Hand Wash is also part of this sale - yay!