May 1, 2008 - Mass meets class? Target is launching its new line of eco-fashions at high-end retailer Barneys New York, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Designer Rogan Gregory has created 60 pieces made exclusively from certified organic cotton and other natural fibers for the new "Rogan for Target" collection, which will be sold at Barneys locations in New York and Los Angeles before hitting Target stores later this month.

Target says it has plenty to gain from marketing to a higher-end consumer before releasing the product nationwide. "For us, it is about generating buzz about the collection, and it's a great opportunity for the Barneys' guest to preview the collection," says Target spokewoman Amy Von Walter.

But why did Rogan Gregory, recent recipient of the Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund award for up-and-coming designers, decide to team up with Target? The discount retailer's extensive buying power helps makes pricier natural fibers more affordable. "Target has the resources that enabled us to innovate," Gregory says. "A mill would say we couldn't order a certain fabric unless we could promise certain volume. Target leveraged its volume to get what it wanted." (For more on Gregory Rogan's collaboration with Target, click here.)

A typical Rogan for Target piece rings up between $15 and $45.