The latest fancypants designer to succumb to the hypnotizing pulse of the red bullseye is none other than our 2008 Master of Design, Dutch designer Marcel Wanders. When we first heard about the collaboration, we wondered if his Moooi mentality could even be adapted for mass production. Would Wanders' pearl necklace-wearing glam play in Minneapolis? After a look at the collection, which hit stores this week, the answer is a resounding yes...Wanders played it safe. Too safe. Safer-than-Pottery Barn safe. Case in point:

I mean, seriously? I think I saw that jingle bell wreath at Hobby Lobby.

But in a look book released by his studio, we see the behind-the-scenes shots of the designer's elves in action as well as some unrealized concepts that we'd actually rather see at Big Red. A few favorites from the Christmas that could have been:

These bobblehead concepts are just the kind of wacky weirdness we were hoping for in Wanders' collection. Unfortunately these never made it past the concept stage.

These cool little origami reindeer could have seen the light as a DIY tree-topper or placesetting kit...or rendered in something more sturdy, a classier take on those weird life-size reindeer-shaped wreaths that people put in their yards.

A peek inside Wanders' sketchbook reveals more missed opportunities. Uh, yeah, we want handbell drinking goblets! How cool would that have been? Instead, the handbell form was relegated to a lame placecard holder set.

More of the radical thinking we expected from Wanders: A tree skirt that's also a skirt. Or stockings that can double as boots. Why wouldn't Target let Wanders wander freely into fashion?

In fact, you start to get the feeling that Wanders was a wee bit frustrated with Target himself.

[Marcel Wanders for Target online book]