Gwen Stefani runway show inspired by '60s rock

[February 13, 2012]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Singer and designer Gwen Stefani, one of the few celebrities who has stuck with her fashion brand for the long haul, offered a "That Girl" vibe at the New York Fashion Week show for her LAMB line.

Black-and-white photos of New York in the 1960s provided the backdrop for tweed miniskirt suits, chunky knit sweaters worn with shorts and tights, and a double-zip, high-neck jumpsuit. Grays and blacks were punctuated by occasional flashes of bright yellow.

Unfortunately, the logistics of her presentation Saturday night at the Lincoln Center tents during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week made it difficult for the assembled editors, retailers and stylists to get a really good look at the collection. A half-dozen models at a time were rotated onto a small stage as hundreds of people tried to get a glimpse. It was hard to get a sense of the cohesive message of the line, although it seemed like there was a definite point of view from Stefani, which she confirmed in an email interview with The Associated Press.

AP: What was your inspiration, and how is this collection different and similar to your previous seasons?

Stefani: I began with the original rock girl icon, the sweater girl in a pencil skirt and looked at early `60s fashion imagery. These girls were the first and have always stayed current. After that I added all the things I always loved. Houndstooth, mixed print, black and white, pop colors. This season I tried to make the clothes stand out and yet be very easy to wear.

AP: Can you describe your ideal customer and how the new collection serves them?

Stefani: My ideal customer is a fashion-forward girl, an individual who needs her clothes to perform like classic sportswear. She enjoys her fashion, loves her style, likes to express herself and not look like everyone else. Her clothes should cruise along with everything else that she loves in her life and not be difficult or restricting to wear.

AP: How do you keep tabs on up-and-coming designers?

Stefani: I'm constantly on the Internet at the studio late at night when we have breaks recording the ND ("No Doubt") album. I love sites like Trendland, Style.com and am always finding tons of new Japanese sites to go through too. I love sending my team all of the images I find . So much fun. I'm totally obsessed.

[Associated Press; By SAMANTHA CRITCHELL]

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