Michael Graves Dies at 80

Architect and designer Michael Graves, known for his postmodern, colorful aesthetic, died Thursday, March 12, at age 80. Graves was the first product design partner for Target Corp. (Minneapolis).

The mass merchant launched a small collection of Graves’ housewares in 1999, and doubled its number of Graves offerings to 500 within the collection's first year.

Writing for Bloomberg, author Virginia Postrel noted Friday that the Graves collaboration “established Target as the discount chain with good taste.” The success of Graves’ products set the precedent for Target’s collaborations with brands such as Isaac Mizrahi, Toms, and next month, Lilly Pulitzer.