• by Sarah Mahoney , Yesterday

Target's commitment to recapturing its glory days keeps building, with the company naming designer Isaac Mizrahi as its first-ever creative director at large.

During his five-year run at Target, when he created products ranging from fashion to home to pets, Mizrahi sold as much as $300 million each year. Back in the company's go-go "cheap chic" era, Mizrahi — already a high-fashion darling — joined Target's orbit of collaborators with a 2002 collection that flew off shelves. And while other designers, including Missoni and Lilly Pulitzer, produced hit collections, Mizrahi represented the apex of Target's era of bringing high-fashion moments to affordable audiences. He continued to work with the company until 2008.

The Minneapolis-based retailer says the new arrangement with Mizrahi will include working with Gena Fox, senior vice president of design, mentoring Target designers, advising the company on product design and innovation, and developing new partnerships that will rebuild its "design authority and cultural relevance."

The news comes just weeks after Target released the first evidence that its large-scale transformation effort might be working.

After four years of sales decline — and a tumultuous period of culture wars, DEI blowback, widespread boycotts and a contentious CEO succession — Target said sales in the first quarter grew 6.7%, well above expectations. Traffic, a key metric for a company that wants to regain a reputation as a must-shop destination, also grew, up 4.4%. Digital sales also advanced, up 8.9%.

Some analysts were encouraged by those results, but not ready to declare home runs just yet. "Early reads on strategic initiatives are positive, particularly around assortment refinement and in-store experience enhancements," writes Krisztina Katai, Deutsche Bank's retail analyst. "However, we would highlight that the bulk of Target's transformation remains ahead." Those include large-scale initiatives such as a reset of the center-store food departments, a new approach to home, and the rollout of Target Beauty Studio, scheduled for late August.

In addition to one-on-one mentorship sessions, Mizrahi will also lead Target's design staff on immersion experiences and inspiration trips, and help rebuild storytelling and community engagement initiatives.

"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, in the announcement. "Isaac has always believed, as we do, that great design should be accessible to everyone."