It seems like high-fashion designers who normally only sell their wares in expensive Rodeo Drive boutiques are branching out everywhere. It's easier than ever to pick up quality clothing, shoes, accessories and even housewares that have a famous name attached to them, without the infamous price tag. Mass merchants like Target and Kohl's have done the best job of choosing high-end names to design for their stores. Target, for example, has enlisted top names in its Target Go International series of fashions and housewares, including Jean Paul Gaultier, Rodarte, Luella Bartley, Liberty of London and Zac Posen, a celebrity runway favorite. And a mainstay of Target's shoe racks has been the always-fabulous Isaac Mizrahi. Kohl's has wedding dress designer to the stars Vera Wang designing their pretty everyday women's wear line, Simply Vera, and Wang also has teamed up with David's Bridal to do what she does best for brides.
Lauren Conrad of The Hills fame is also part of the Kohl's lineup, offering her pretty, feminine line of women's clothing. If you're looking for couture shoes for a fraction of the price, then check out Payless, which carries designs from Project Runway competitor Christian Siriano. Talk about fierce. H&M is another store that carries fashions straight off the runway, including those from Sonia Rykiel, Lanvin and Stella McCartney, who also lends her name to a line at the Gap. You can even find '80s swimsuit maven Norma Kamali at Wal-Mart. Critics of the trend worry that these designers are cheapening their brands by making them available to everyone. However, on the other side of the coin, the trend makes it easy to blend inexpensive items with a few select couture pieces. Either way, it's a smart move for designers looking to put more cash in their own pockets.