Missoni debut at Target crashes website, empties shelves

Would you pay 4 times retail for this Missoni sweater?

Clothes and home goods from Italian fashion house Missoni have landed at Target, and they already seem to be a massive hit.

Missoni, known for its multiple patterned and colored knitwear, has created a line for the discount retailer, and Target shoppers can’t get enough of the geographically adorned sweaters and blankets, which are only going to be available until October 22.

The buzz is likely attributed to the massive discount for designer duds — a Missoni for Target cardigan runs around $50, as compared to the higher end line of Missoni sweaters that retail in the high three figures at places like Neiman Marcus.

The new more affordable fashion line is so popular that initial demand crashed Target’s website, and stores nationwide are already finding their displays bare.

Demand is so great that a secondary market for Missoni for Target items has already been created on sites like eBay and Craigslist, according to the Chicago Tribune.

A pair of Missoni coffee mugs are being offered for $45 on eBay, and numerous sweaters and dresses are going for several times their retail price. The Trib reports that a Missoni patterned bicycle has a $1,500 price tag, well above its original $375 asking price.

Target has previously paired with designers, but no collaboration has taken off as quickly.

Target spokesperson Joshua Carter said that the company will have more various inventory shipped to stores soon, and some items will be available again online. Carter stressed that shoppers buy the Missoni item directly from the store or website to avoid fakes.