In an effort to court the Gen Z customer, Target is partnering with Roller Rabbit, the lifestyle brand known for its joyful prints, whimsical characters and sleepwear, for its next design partnership.

Over the years, Target has done many successful design partnerships with brands such as Diane von Furstenberg, Kate Spade, Missoni and Proenza Schouler. Roller Rabbit, which has a substantial and growing presence on TikTok, has both a Gen Z and multigenerational customer.

Launching March 7 in most Target stores and on Target.com, the limited-time Target x Roller Rabbit collection features more than 250 items in a full mix-and-match universe that spans women’s, men’s, kids’ and baby apparel including extended sizing and adaptive styles. It also includes home and entertaining essentials, travel gear and beauty, as well as outdoor-friendly items such as a pool floatie. It also marks Roller Rabbit’s first expansion into luggage.

Target’s design team worked closely with Roller Rabbit to merge the brand’s optimistic, print-driven looks with Target’s approachable and design sensibility, at a great value. Nearly 80 percent of the Target x Roller Rabbit collection is $35 and under, with items starting at $3.

“Partnering with a beloved, social-first brand like Roller Rabbit is exactly the kind of unexpected delight our guests crave,” said Gigi Guerra, vice president, creative curation, Target. Guerra, who has a BFA from Parsons School of Design, cut her teeth at Lucky Magazine and Madewell and has been at Target for 13 years working on creative collaborations. “We’re constantly reimagining our design partnerships to spark discovery — curating what’s next, not what’s already been done while upping the exclusivity and personalization that makes these collaborations so special and uniquely Target.”

Ed Bertouch, chief executive officer of Roller Rabbit, said, “This collaboration has been two years in the making. It marks a major milestone for Roller Rabbit and represents one of our largest retail partnerships to date. This collection encapsulates the Roller Rabbit universe at scale — including expansion into brand new categories while staying true to the personality and pillars of family, friendship and togetherness that define our brand.”

“Partnerships have always been about thoughtful growth for us. This collaboration reflects a strategic step forward in expanding our category footprint and reach,” he added.

“So much of it is about timing,” said Guerra, when asked how they got together. “What we really loved about Roller Rabbit is they have such a strong Gen Z following. It’s a way for us to reach new audiences all the time through our collaborations. And Roller Rabbit has an incredibly dedicated community. It’s so strong with Gen Z and has such a clear identity. Also, there’s a multigenerational appeal with Roller Rabbit, and you’ll see that in the collaboration,” she said.

Guerra said when they think about partnerships, they ask themselves what values do they share with their partner brands. “And joy was a word that kept coming up between both of our brands because you look at the prints and you’re just so happy,” she said.

Guerra noted that Target has never carried Roller Rabbit in the store previously. [Roller Rabbit’s own line of pajamas, for example, go as high as $300.]

In discussing the design process, Guerra said it was truly collaborative. “Our partners bring a concept and hopes and dreams to the table. We will design and produce it because obviously we have the largest in-house design team in the U.S. and we can produce anything. The quality is incredible, and they [Roller Rabbit] are blown away. “They’re like, ‘that’s incredible,’ but it’s economy of scale. It’s an incredible relationship we have with our production partners and our factories,” said Guerra.

While these design collaborations typically sell out fast, Guerra said, “We want to make sure that people are able to get it, and there’s enough to go around, but we don’t want it to sit around.”

The merchandise is featured prominently in the front of the store and it drives traffic for them, said Guerra. “People want to see it when they walk in, and they’re coming to get this and they’re so excited. They’re a big driver to the store…They increase baskets.” She said customers say to themselves, ‘Well, I may as well pick up x, y and z while I’m here too. They meander through the store and we’re reaching new audiences,” she said.

She said Gen Z are the consumers of the future, they’re style forward and they have incredible spending power. She said the beauty of Roller Rabbit is they’re socially native. “This collaboration really has a social-first presence and they make decisions through the lens of social because the brand is just on fire on social,” said Guerra.

As part of the collaboration, the two companies will introduce an exclusive Target x Roller Rabbit print, inspired by the spirit of spring adventure and road trips. There will also be limited-edition packaging from Poppi, exclusive nail designs from Olive and June, temporary tattoos from Inked by Dani, and a skincare pouch set from Byoma.

Roller Rabbit’s signature color and pattern are brought to life through a dedicated in-store shopping experience. Guests will find first-of-its-kind Mystery Boxes, available only in-store, that include keychains, compact mirrors, or a sleep mask/scrunchie set in assorted patterns and icons. Customers will also discover a women’s sleepwear set in an exclusive multicolored geo heart pattern, one of Roller Rabbit’s iconic prints.

Guests in Dallas will get early access to the collection and be among the first to shop it at a pop-up shop on Saturday at the Hickory Street Annex. Target will also host an event Wednesday evening in New York for media and influencers to celebrate the latest design partnership at 214 Lafayette Street rom 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Asked what a collaboration like this does for Target, Guerra said, “It continues to drive cultural credibility for us. One of the big commitments for us is our merchandising authority via style and design. This is a top priority for us as company. And collaborations are a key part of that equation. They’re a key driver of our visibility, commitment and alignment with style and design.”

As reported, Michael Fiddelke, who this month stepped into the CEO role at Target, which has had several challenging years, said his main priorities include leading with merchandising authority and elevating the guest experience.