MINNEAPOLIS — Target appointed fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi to the newly created position of creative director at large. He will mentor in-house designers, advise on product innovation, and develop new external partnerships for the retailer.

Mizrahi will work alongside Gena Fox, the senior vice president of design. Fox was promoted to her position in May. He will not design physical products himself, but will instead guide creative direction and influence marketing narratives across the company's in-house brands. His creative oversight will initially focus on the fashion and home departments before expanding to categories including food and wellness.

The retailer's chief merchandising officer, Cara Sylvester, stated, "Isaac is going to look at our product, provide a point of view, and actually push us creatively." Sylvester said, "In a sea of algorithms coming at you, where there is a ton of same-same, consumers want distinction. They want to know what's right for them." Mizrahi stated, "My role is to collaborate with the retailer's team to bring more joy, style and sophistication to design through storytelling, creativity and a shopping experience that feels even more fun."

The retailer and Mizrahi previously collaborated on an exclusive clothing and accessories collection that launched in 2002. That partnership concluded in 2009. He stated, "You don't have to spend $8,000 on a sweater for it to be amazing. A good sweater can be $45."

The retailer reported a 1.7 percent sales decline for fiscal year 2025, with total revenue reaching $104.8 billion. In May, however, it reported its largest increase in comparable sales in four years.

Michael Fiddelke serves as the chief executive officer, succeeding Brian Cornell in February. Under Fiddelke's tenure, the company hired several external executives, including a former Walmart executive to lead its supply network. It plans to release smaller, more frequent product collections linked to social media campaigns rather than relying primarily on large, infrequent collaborations. The company stated that 75 percent of its decorative home merchandise assortment will consist of new products.

Mizrahi has visited the Minneapolis headquarters to meet with design teams and study internal processes. Since the initial partnership with him, the retailer has launched designer collections with brands such as Lilly Pulitzer and Missoni. Other major apparel retailers have recently established similar long-term creative roles for fashion designers, including John Galliano at Zara, Zac Posen at Gap Inc, Francesco Risso at GU, and Clare Waight Keller at Uniqlo.