Shoppers lined up outside the Target on South Main even before the store opened, and when the clock struck 8am, the frenzy was on. Shoppers were running, women were bumping their carts into one another and within seconds, and carts were over flowing with all things Missoni.
Even the men were getting in on the action.
But if you didn't arrive within the first 15 minutes of when the store opened, you were out of luck.
"Everything is gone," style expert Holly Thompson said.
Even then, the competition among shoppers was fierce.
"I got here right at 8 -- gone. I got one extra-small coat," shopper Stephanie Eckman said.
The store shelves had been wiped out. The only thing standing at one accessory rack were a pair of ladies briefs.
"We've had many designers launch at Target, and none of them have had this response," Target employee Barry Moseley said.
If you don't know Missoni, it's an Italian designer label known for its colorful zigzag-printed knitwear. But the line at Target is not limited to women's clothes. There are kids clothes, pillows -- even a Missoni bicycle.
"It's huge, it's house ware, it's clothing, it's shoes, accessories -- it's everything. It's fabulous," Eckman said.
As far as price, the costs for tops start at $24.99 and sweaters at $49.99.
"I used to be a buyer for Saks, so I think the quality is really, really good," shopper Sandra Keville said.
Thompson dresses some of Houston's most high-profile women and agreed with the shoppers' opinion.
"You're getting high-end pieces at affordable prices and the quality has not been compromised," Thompson said.
If you are a fan of celebrity clothing lines, across town at Memorial City Mall, Sears just launched the Kardashian Kollection. The entire collection is 30 percent off the retail price. We found tops for $25, dresses for $55 and accessories for under $15.
Kohl's also just introduced the Jennifer Lopez line. Tops start at $44, dresses start at $60 and shoes for $69.99.
The Kardashian Kollection and the Jennifer Lopez line will be in stores through the fall. Missoni for Target will be in stores until October 22. The store manager says they should get more shipments of the brand to put back on the floor but he didn't have a specific date when that will happen.
Meantime, you can buy "Missoni for Target" online, but the site has been working on and off all day long. And when it does work, it's slow and many items are sold out! On Target's Twitter account, the company says that many items will not be restocked online but restocked at the store. Meanwhile, eBay has hundreds of Missoni for Target items for triple and quadruple the price!
