Work in Progress

One of the things that I am most passionate about in life is fashion. I get goosebumps just thinking about going shopping. Whether I’m rummaging through thrift store racks or burning a swath through sample sales, outfits are my great passion, my little pieces of art, my raison d’etre. I’ve always loved putting together “looks.” I’ve been studying and analyzing fashion and style for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, I would stare at ladies in the mall or on the street. I would examine their outfits closely, head to toe, and submit what I saw to memory to be drawn upon later. My inspirations come from past and present, different cultures, people and my own imagination.

Possibly my most significant contemporary influence is the fabulous and talented Gwen Stefani. Never one for restraint, the singer, designer, and sometimes actress has emerged as one of the most original and veritable fashion icons of today. While her trademark look at the moment might be those bright red lips and Jean Harlow inspired platinum coif, her style has evolved throughout the years. But what has always remained constant is her uncanny ability to mix and match clothes the rest of us would probably never dream of putting together. And like any fashion icon, she’s been often copied but very few can imitate her.

Miss Stefani wowed critics at New York Fashion Week on Wednesday, with her L.A.M.B. clothing collection, receiving a standing ovation from rapper Eve, Sean “Diddy” Combs and actress Sophia Bush. Her L.A.M.B. nighttime outing was the hot ticket of the week, where she took her runway bows in a black-and-white oversized check don’t-dare-bend-over mini dress.

The collection won over fashion insiders on the opening day of the annual event with their mix of retro and modern designs, with a few outfits also showcasing Stefani’s love of costumes.

She also showed off a very special pair of yellow, green and black platform shoes named “the Kingston”after her 1-year-old son — who was cheering her on from the front row with husband Gavin Rossdale.

Stefani thinks fashion is likely a growing part of her life. “This is so in my heart,” she told the Associated Press in a telephone interview. “I make the clothes for myself, clothes I’d want to wear. I want clothes that have quality and style.”

But even if the look is her own, inspired by a combination of Jamaican rastafarians, English school girls and Orange County, Calif., teens, Stefani says L.A.M.B. couldn’t happen without a larger team, especially stylist Andrea Lieberman, whom Stefani met on the set of an Eve video years ago.

“It just clicked. I found someone who got me. She grew up in New York and knows fashion. I went to the mall when I was young. She fills in my gaps,” Stefani said.

And they’ve come a long way since that first Fashion Week show two years ago when they were scavenging for belts and shoes at the last minute. L.A.M.B. now makes its own accessories and the signature fragrance is rolling out.

As for the upcoming spring looks, Stefani says she’s been influenced by the whirlwind life she has led over the past year as a new mother traveling the globe. “Fashion is art, it’s always affected by circumstance. … The last collection when I was pregnant, I was totally affected by my weird body.”

Her newer stuff has a Vivienne Westwood quality to it, perhaps a little Gauthier inspired. Stefani has a brilliant eye. In my opinion, her greatest triumph is that her own style never looks contrived. She effortlessly blends prints, patterns, and colors in a look that is totally her own. Her look is cutting edge and one-of-a-kind. Her trademark platinum blond hair and red lips are the perfect accessories for her sporty meets sexy style.

You can check out the entire collection here.

Photos courtesy of Just Jared