Snow on the runway! Target brings holiday charm and cheer to fashion week with 44 festive looks

by Nancy Won October 25, 2013

See the complete Target Holiday 2013 collection »

We’ve been dreaming of spring fashion all week but at last night’s highly-anticipated Target show, the mega retailer rolled out the white carpet, turned up the Christmas tunes and let it snow (literally) in the tents. The cheery Holiday 2013 runway presentation had even the most melancholy fashion minimalists grinning. And how could it not, with beaming models who ran the gamut from city girls and dimpled jocks to stylish parents and impossibly cute kids? Target certainly brought the charm and cheer of its holiday catalogue to life for Toronto’s style set.

The show started with a fashionably festive surprise as model, Maybelline New York spokesperson and overall cool girl Erin Wasson, who opened the runway in a pair of slouchy tuxedo track pants, a plaid blazer and black fedora. The looks that followed ranged from campus gals in turquoise peacoats and smart sweater-and-shirt combos (and hipster glasses, natch) to cabin-ready plaids, toques and Beaver Canoe hoodies to sporty bomber jackets and leather ball caps—all from affordable brands like Mossimo Black, Merona, Beaver Canoe for Target, Smith & Hawken and Cherokee. Models high-fived, flirted, skipped and generally appeared thrilled to be alive as they took their turn on the runway. It seemed Target was hinting that fashion should be fun and when Wasson closed the show with Target’s iconic bull terrier in tow, the audience erupted in cheers and awwwwws. Message received.