clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

What's Left of the Phillip Lim for Target Collab in East Harlem

New, 5 comments
A ravaged aisle.
A ravaged aisle.

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

At the Phillip Lim for Target launch in Harlem this morning, shoppers speed-walked (no running!) to the displays and grabbed up nearly everything in sight. The mood tensed and hands snatched whatever they could—save for the few pieces that no one touched.

The event was truly an exercise in psychology, as shoppers followed empty-handed employees in packs, and Pied Piper-esque employees wielded shopping carts unintentionally (maybe intentionally) that led some people away from the action. A few frenzied shoppers even started getting breathy over the stray Mossimo pieces that hung next to the collection. What we witnessed was a game of wits, luck, and 'bow throwing. Here's what remains.

We overheard that 25 pieces were missing from the collection at the Harlem store. Shoppers hoping for most animal print pieces, the floral shirt dress, the navy trench, most faux-leather pieces, and oddly enough, skirts and pants, were out of luck.


At 8:01am, shoppers engulfed the area in what can best be described as Tanzanian Devilish. In their wake were a few idle pairs of men's sweats next to a few very wrinkled men's trenches and blazers in large sizes. A single pair of black leather sneakers sat on an otherwise empty shelf nearby.


For women's, empty racks stood next to racks full of undesirables. This included the black and white drop-waist shirt dress, grey sparkle tanks, ruffle tanks, sparkle blouses, sparkle dresses, and grey sweater dress. An associate promised a noon restock.


Throughout the morning, returns and try-ons trickled back to the floor. This mostly included "Boom" shirt dresses, lingerie sets, and navy leather jackets. Bags never returned to the shelves, only going from hand to hand in trade. Women's sweatshirts and blazers that returned quickly disappeared again. —Cambrey Thomas
· Pushing, Trading at the Phillip Lim for Target Launch in Harlem [Racked NY]
· Your Guide to Sunday's Phillip Lim for Target Collab Launch [Racked NY]
· Entire 3.1 Collection [Target]

Target East River Plaza

517 East 117th Street, New York, New York 10035 212-835-0860 Visit Website

3.1 Phillip Lim

115 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012 (212) 334-1160 Visit Website