Goodbye, Isaac. And hello, hello to Alexander McQueen.  Sort of. Target announced that they will do a series of collections with designers, separate from the young designers featured with the “Go International” line. The new “Designer Collaborations” will debut with McQueen’s diffusion of his McQ diffusion line. Confused? It will be called McQ Alexander McQueen for Target.

According to Women’s Wear Daily:

McQ Alexander McQueen for Target will feature lightweight sweaters, skinny jeans, bubble dresses, slim skirts and cuffed shorts. Signature pieces include a coated cotton poplin black trench, a rock ’n’ roll gray denim cropped studded jacket, a men’s wear-inspired tuxedo blazer and a color-blocked one-shoulder dress with bubble hem. The collection also will include swimwear and cotton voile print scarves. Price points were not yet available.

I’m guessing this will be the biggest fashion line at Target and will be competitive with the high-profile H&M collaborations such as Stella McCartney and Karl Lagerfeld. Plus, unlike those H&M lines, we’ll probably get them here first.

Shout-outs to anyone who spots McQueen (that’s him below!) visiting Minneapolis…lurking around Target headquarters, perhaps?

That red and white sticker is fashionable and the best coupon out there. Pick up free coffee at Starbucks and free ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s today. Then, save your “I VOTED” sticker and shop on Saturday at Flirt Boutique. You’ll get 25 percent off your purchase of lingerie (including Hanky Panky and Cosabella!), cards, bath products and more.

Vote: http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us for your polling location.

Shop: Flirt Boutique, 1330 Grand Av., St. Paul, 651-698-3692.

Arguably the largest and longest annual fashion and music show of the year has an official lineup of designers. Drumroll, please: 2709, Allison Quinnell, Amanda Christine, Arwyn Birch, Calpurnia Peach (that’s their dress pictured above), Carmichael Claith, Emily Weich, Ivan Idland, Maritza Ramirez and Max Lohrbach. Their creations will take the runway set to a soundtrack provided by: Mercurial Rage, Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles, Gospel Gossip, First Communion Afterparty and Maria Isa. Mark your calendar for Friday, April 24 and check voltagefashionamplified.com for more details.

A few observations: There are no designers affiliated with “Project Runway” on this list and the event is now on a FRIDAY, yes a FRIDAY. In past years, it has been on Wednesday.

11/4 UPDATE: FYI– Katherine Gerdes, a.k.a. our former local “Project Runway” contestant was on the panel that selected this year’s crop of designers.

The good news about the weak economy? For those who can still shop, there are lots of big sales on in-season merchandise that seem to be starting earlier than ever. The most impressive online bargains I’ve found thus far are from Chick Downtown. In the past few weeks, there have been generous site-wide deals. If you sign up for emails, you’ll get in on “private sales.” There’s a pre-election sale going on now where you get 25 percent off your purchase using either OBAMA or MCCAIN as your code. If your candidate wins next week, you’ll get a gift card worth  25 percent off of your purchase. This ombre fringe dress is rather spectacular and worth casting your vote. See it in full force on the chickdowntown.com homepage.

Also, a heads up– Nordstrom’s Half Yearly Sale for women and kids starts next Wednesday.

People always think I should be into dressing up on Halloween. Well, for some, unexplainable reason I’m not. Luckily, I’m not alone. I talked with Isaac Mizrahi last week, while he was in town to sign his new book, How to Have Style, at the Mall of America. Here’s what he said about Halloween:

“I love it. I live in Greenwich Village. The parade goes right by my apartment. There’s no way to get around it, you’re stuck in your apartment all night. As far as dressing up is concerned, I don’t really do it. The cobbler’s children never have shoes. I like watching it, forming opinions about it, but I can’t do it myself. I just can’t. I could never do drag. I don’t know why, but I don’t think I’d be a beautiful woman, so who wants to be a parody of anything. I guess there are people who do and more power to them, but I don’t want to do.”

So to all of you Amy Winehouses out there, we appreciate your efforts, but Isaac and I won’t be playing. What will you be dressing up as?

Lucky me, guest blogger Allison Malecha was at fashion week and will narrate the video you’re about to see. I scored front row across from Susan Schulz, editor-in-chief of CosmoGirl! And Allison was down the way, right behind Rachel Zoe.

Check out my video–which includes Marc Jacobs in a kilt. The night before he wore a black version. More on yesterday’s shows here.

Here’s Allison’s report:

When celebrity it-girl stylist Rachel Zoe is in attendance, you know you’re in for a good show. As always, Marc by Marc Jacobs catered to a hip and young crowd with pops of bright colors. Models paraded down the runway to an exuberant remix of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” in relaxed mini-dresses cinched with stacks of leather belts, ruffled-one shoulder jumpsuits in wearable neutrals, utility-style trousers rolled up to the knee, bold stripes cutting across t-shirts and folded diagonally into full skirts, subdued flower prints in feminine shapes, and soft denim in a surprisingly loose dress and a blazer-style dress-length vest. My favorite appearance was a red and beige geometric print that appeared in the form of a blazer, and a dress with sweeping diagonal tiers and poofy sleeves.
The main message to take away from Marc’s spring line? Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! The show featured modern pillbox hats, piles of neon “nutty knot” strands worn as necklaces or anti-beauty pageant sashes, chic nylon fanny-packs slung around the waist, and patent lace-up ballet flats. For men it was effortless blazers, popped collars, stripes, more rolled up pants (should we expect an abundance floods this spring as well?), and round sunglasses à la John Lennon with a neon twist. One thing is for sure – with Marc by Marc Jacobs you can always expect crazy combinations and innovative shapes that you still somehow can see yourself pulling off. Even if you aren’t feeling the head-to-toe funky vibe, you’re sure to find pieces to love!