DAAP Fashion Designers Aim For Target > Back To Resources Main

Dana Shelton - The News Record

Two DAAP students await the results of a competition that awards a one-year, $35,000 internship with Target's design department.

John Kelly and Melissa Bodner, seniors at DAAP's School of Design, had their final interviews last week at the department store's Minneapolis headquarters.

Target's design manager and directors were among the nine people who interviewed Kelly for 30 minutes each.

"I'm pleased with how I expressed myself," Kelly said.

Bodner interviewed Friday.

"I was nervous for the first interview, then relaxed and was myself," Bodner said.

Kelly and Bodner not only designed a fashion line for Target, but they had to plan the marketing as well. Bodner is a Product Development/Fashion Design student. She designed a line of "intimate apparel for younger women."

She had to develop the marketing concept and research Target's prices to decide how to price her designs. The prices range from $8.99 to 24.99.

Kelly is a student of Product Development/Fashion Merchandising. He calls his line Mix.

"The line is 14 pieces for spring and summer that mix and match," he said.

His line is for women ages 22 to 35, and is designed so that customers "can go from work to play."

The colors are named after cocktails. Blazers, skirts and pants come in colors such as champagne, black olive and mimosa. His prices range from $11.99 to 36.99.

Kelly and Bodner's professors say they aren't surprised by the success.

Phyllis Borcherding, a professor in fashion-product development in DAAP has known Kelly and Bodner for four years, and is their professor and advisor.

"Melissa has a strong understanding of the marketplace and is able to interpret her designs to meet the needs of the customer," said Borcherding.

"She also has a strong sense of proportion and color," Borcherding said of Bodner.

Borcherding said that Kelly "is a beautiful fabric designer. He is very fabric driven."

She also says that Kelly is strong in the marketing aspect of fashion.

Kelly and Bodner have some ideas about their future plans if they don't win the internship.

Kelly is interested in creative direction, image branding and marketing.

Bodner had a co-op at JCPenny last summer in Dallas. She was on a project that developed a junior's clothing line for Arizona Jeans.

"Dallas is a possibility," she said.

Currently, Bodner and Kelly are each working on a senior thesis

"The thesis requires me to develop a concept, develop the line and the market," Bodner said. "It's much bigger than the Target project."

Kelly's thesis is a clothing line named Threshold."

"It's for post-graduate men and women who have recently entered the workforce," Kelly said.

"It's career wear and is practical and versatile. It can be worn during the day, at night and on the weekends."

Borcherding feels that Bodner and Kelly would be assets to Target.

"We have one of the few programs in the country that look at the design process from the customer need, to pricing, to how you get it to the customer," she said. "John and Melissa have a strong sense of design and a young attitude that understands who shops at Target.

"Some of the older people involved don't know how important Target is to young people."

According to Kelly, 16 universities had students competing in the competition, and each school had a minimum of three entries.

The top 10 students got a $1,000 gift certificate to Target, and had a 30-minute phone interview.

Kelly and Bodner were chosen along with two other students as finalists, but there is no competition between Kelly and Bodner.

"John is my best friend," Bodner said. "I'd be happy for him if he wins, and vice versa."

"I've known Melissa five years," Kelly said. "We aren't competitive. We brainstorm together. We help each other out. It's a positive relationship."

Bodner said that two positions are open for the $35,000 Target fashion internship.

"I hope we both get them," said Bodner