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• Top designers create affordable fashion lines for stores

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It’s no secret that college students are always on the hunt for bargains to suit their tight budgets. The search for a good deal has allowed lower-end lines by celebrities and designers to spread like wildfire in the past year. Styling collaborations between a designer and a major store like Target or Walmart has made the hunt much easier, which is something college students should consider.

“They’re excellent ideas. Not everybody can afford top designers, but [most people] want the same looks and styles,” said Kristen Guth, sophomore in LAS. Gina Jenero, another sophomore in LAS, likes that these lines “allow the buyer to enter a much more familiar shopping zone.”

In the past, famous names such as Rodarte, Zac Posen and Anna Sui have graced the racks at Target. This season, the major store is making room for a highly-anticipated line by Jean Paul Gaultier, which will debut Sunday, March 7.

The limited-time collection will feature edgy, trendy clothes that maintain appeal to the mass amounts of consumers that frequent Target. The most advertised piece, a canary yellow halter dress that is perfect for the approaching spring season, is featured with a mock tattoo top that creates the illusion of inked arms. Ranging from the yellow dress to a red-accented leather bomber to fun, flirty cocktail dresses, expect the Gaultier collection to hit home with the trendsetting crowd, but know that the quality of the pieces will not be the same as the French designer’s haute couture collections.

“I think you get what you pay for, so if you’re shopping for a bargain you have to understand it might not be as high quality,” said Guth, who purchased items from the Zac Posen guest line.

Some may say higher quality can be found at H&M, where guest designers are also a hit with shoppers. Past limited-time lines by Comme des Garçons, Jimmy Choo and Chanel’s own designing genius Karl Lagerfeld have lit up the store. This season H&M made room for Sonia Rykiel’s collection Feb. 20.

With a Parisian twist, Rykiel’s collection features funky, of-the-moment pieces including a colorfully striped sweater dress, matching pink blazer and shorts in a bright hue, pearl-dotted leggings and bright, fun, lightweight sweaters.

Other lines currently available include: LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl’s (a cute, girly line with bows, ruffles and flowers to boot), a collaboration of Miley Cyrus and designing head honcho Max Azria for Walmart (a rock n’ roll vibe based on Cyrus’s own style) and a line called Olsenboye by the Olsen twins for JC Penny (a comfy, eclectic, downtown look reminiscent of their own), which debuted in November but is set to make a full launch this spring.

Not only are these lower-end guest lines trendy and stylish, but also they offer shoppers a taste of true fashion for only a small fraction of the price of the high fashion lines they’re modeled after. Be sure to shop these collections either in stores or online. Let’s be honest — on a college budget, we’re always looking for a good deal.