Target, Vineyard Vines team on special collection

Target is hoping its latest limited-edition collaboration will be as successful as its Lilly Pulitzer and Marimekko runs.

The Minneapolis-based retailer on Thursday said its next short-run partnership will be with Vineyard Vines, the maker of popular preppy clothes with a smiling pink whale.

The special collection of 300 items, from clothing and accessories to home goods and petwear, will go on sale on May 18.

Limited-edition fashion partnerships have been a hallmark for Target since 1999. The retailer has launched more than 175 of these partnerships.

As with previous partnerships, the Vineyard Vines items at Target will be exclusive to the retailer. Some, such as tableware and outdoor games, are new categories for Vineyard Vines.

The items will range in price from $2 to $120, with most under $35, Target said.

"Vineyard Vines is a brand our guests know and love, and one that exemplifies our shared sense of optimism and joy through their use of bold colors and prints," Mark Tritton, Target's chief merchandising officer, said in a statement.

The projects are generally successful for Target, and the retailer has sometimes had trouble predicting demand for products in them.

Its website crashed during a partnership with Lilly Pulitzer in 2015. And last year, Target was forced to scale back plans to sell a lower-cost version of Hunter rain boots when the quality didn't meet expectations.

While these collections are not usually a big contributor to Target's overall sales, the retailer sees their value in raising its brand.

Brothers Shep and Ian Murray founded Vineyard Vines in 1998, selling neckties inspired by summers on Massachusetts' Martha's Vineyard. The line expanded into an apparel line with the idea that "Every day should feel this good."

Vineyard Vines now has more than 100 stores of its own, and its apparel is available in more than 600 specialty and department stores.

Through the partnership, the two companies will support Camp Southern Ground with scholarships, operations and products. The camp, which also supports veterans, was founded by country singer Zac Brown to bring kids from all backgrounds together.