The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

Tara Subkoff Creates Collection for Bebe

Bebe's fashion sensibility as a store has really slipped in recent years (it's overpriced and kinda skanky to be completely honest), and yet, whoever's in charge of their marketing is doing a first-rate job. For starters, they enlisted starlet Mischa Barton to model the brand, followed by Rebecca Romijn and Eva Longoria, and now they've teamed up with Imitation of Christ's Tara Subkoff to produce a limited edition exclusive collection.

The lookbook certainly makes a statement, but we wonder if these clothes will uphold their glamorous edge once you remove the gorgeous model with blood-red lips from her stark white environs. The prices also leave something to be desired (the dresses hover around $120). With the whole heart theme, it smacks ever-so-slightly of Erin Fetherston's GO collection for Target. And frankly, we'd rather pay Target prices for so-so pieces that may lose their luster after one season.

Scroll down and tell us what you think!

From bebe.com: "Subkoff's style signature is her effortless blend of avant-garde trends with retro glamour - definitely seen in her collection with bebe. Calling it 80's Feminist meets 40s Hollywood Glam, Subkoff mixed dramatic black, white and red hues with sexy heart-print patterns and flirty ruffled trims."


















* Editor's Pick: So very Elizabeth Hurley in Bedazzled!





Comments
If Moschino did a collection for Target, this would be it- she basically ripped off their signature style. It's so average and unimaginative.
The ruffle wrap dress and tiered strapless are adorable but impractical. The tie-neck blouse, though, is very cute and wearable- but the halter dress is just stupid.
#1 Sarah on 2008-02-12 09:46 (Reply)
Moschino for Target...now that's an idea! I agree with your assessment, the styles are mostly impractical. I do enjoy the red halter, though, you could wear it over a white blouse for a cute Lolita look. The repetition of ruffles on so many of the styles is boring, though.
#1.1 The Budget Babe on 2008-02-12 11:42 (Reply)
I agree with all of the above- plus if thats how it looks with lots of special lighting and photoshop I don't really think it would be very impressive in person, kinda bland...
#2 Peaches on 2008-02-12 10:19 (Reply)
"overpriced and kinda skanky to be completely honest"

Finally - someone else said it and it wasn't me! I went into a Bebe store when I visited Chicago at Xmas and thought it all kind of resembled a bad 70's disco, and was made rather cheaply. Sweat shop in China perhaps? Not to mention that the store itself was an utter disaster. I've been in cleaner TJ Maxx's.

But I will admit - some (not all, just some) of the pictures you posted might suggest a change for the better... ?
#3 sneaux on 2008-02-12 11:01 (Reply)
I'm a perennial optimistic, so I'm willing to believe that this is a sign bebe might improve! However, I don't see them lowering their prices anytime soon (and their sales aren't great) so they'll have to work a lot harder to get shoppers like myself back into their stores. :-)
#3.1 The Budget Babe on 2008-02-13 09:54 (Reply)
I agree, the fluttery dresses are kind of cute and the red halter but everything else is just so blah. Not horrible just predictable.
Bebe definitely needs to step it up a notch. They used to have such cute finds. Now everything is just so eurotrash and not in a good way.
#4 Ana on 2008-02-16 04:09 (Reply)
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