When it comes to updating the merchandise mix to keep consumers interested, active and engaged, Target has a secure place among retailing’s elite.

When it comes to updating the merchandise mix to keep consumers interested, active and engaged, Target has a secure place among retailing’s elite.

The company’s knack for staying on the cutting edge in fashion, a capability centered on apparel that extends to textiles, housewares and other categories, together with its marketing expertise, has earned it a reputation for cheap chic that resonates with people who wouldn’t otherwise think of shopping at a discount store.

Target is perhaps best known for its alliances with noted designers who create exclusive product lines for its stores, a group that over the years has included architect Michael Graves and fashion designers Isaac Mizrahi and Jason Wu. The limited-edition clothing and home goods line by Missoni, an Italian luxury design firm, that the retailer offered last autumn is a case in point. After featuring the collection at a pop-up store in New York City during Fashion Week, the products quickly sold out when they went on sale at Target stores across the country and on the company’s e-commerce site.

Less flashy, but equally important are the enhancements that the retailer continually makes to its core offerings. The additions to the beauty and personal care assortment for fall illustrate what goes on throughout the store. The new products include an extensive array of Target exclusives, with price points ranging from 84 cents to $55. To name just a few of them, six items will be added to the Boots No7 skin care line at Target, among them a primer that is said to get visible results in minutes; five metallic shades of nail lacquer from Nicole by OPI will debut; and a number of new oral care products will join the discounter’s up & up brand.

Partnerships with notable figures in the fashion world are another component of Target’s efforts to reenergize its beauty and personal care business on an ongoing basis. Makeup artists Jemma Kidd, Napoleon Perdis and Petra Strand will all offer new items at the discounter this fall.

Umberto Savone, a hairstylist based in Los Angeles, has worked with Target since 2004. The 21 products in the Umberto Beverly Hills collection are formulated to make salon-quality hair care accessible at mass market prices. Savone’s assessment of the people who run Target’s beauty care business is indicative of the company’s approach: "They’re very good partners. They’re always open to new ideas."