Nestled between a navy cardigan and a batik print tunic hangs a gorgeous shibori frock from Thakoon’s 2009 Resort Collection. With its colorful print, youthful cut and Eastern influences, the dress has all the markings of a Thakoon piece, with one exception: a

$39 price tag.

The deeply discounted price isn’t from a sample sale; nor is it the result of a recession-spurred post holiday super-sale. The dress is just one piece from the current Go International collection at Target. Go International is a wildly popular project that features couture designs at a fraction of the price.

“”I think they’re great, especially now with the state that the economy is in,”” said Emery Mahoney, a first-year graduate student in education. “”I just bought the Hayden Harnett printed airplane tote, which is perfect to use as my school bag,”” Mahoney said.

The original Hayden Harnett Flight tote retails for $198, but the nearly identical Target version comes with a far more student friendly price tag of $49.99.

Target isn’t the only big box retailer catering to consumers’ demand for designer goods. Kohl’s carries a clothing line by bridal designer Vera Wang, called Simply Vera. Of course, the prices are nowhere near Wang’s typical $10,000 wedding gown. Instead, a shirred cotton shift is reasonably priced at $78, a pair of trousers at $54. Swedish clothing company H&M has teamed up with Roberto Cavalli, Comme de Garcon, Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney in the past; those collections sold out days – sometimes hours – after being launched.

Though the labels inside the clothing bear their designer’s name, many customers wonder if the collections are comparable to the original runway pieces. Sometimes quality must be sacrificed in order to maintain the low price point that customers at Kohl’s, Target and H&M have come

to expect.

“”I think sometimes the fabric doesn’t wear as well,”” Mahoney said. “”It looks great at first, but doesn’t wash well. I’ve had pilling, or buttons not sewed on all

the way.””

Even so, Target reports strong sales for the Go International Collections. And with consumers constantly on the lookout for designer deals, it’s hard to resist the chance to own a taste of the runway for a small chunk

of change.