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Widely known for her iconic style and her long-term love for designing, the Grammy-winner Gwen Stefani launched her luxurious fashion line L.A.M.B. in 2003. A two-week design project that began in Gwen's home has transformed into a much-loved lifestyle brand. Named after her first solo album and an acronym for Love Angel Music Baby, L.A.M.B. represents Gwen’s intuitive sense of style, exhibiting a flawless fusion of classic Hollywood movie star glamour and modern street swag.
Foraying Into Fashion
In 2004, the singer debuted with Love. Angel. Music. Baby. or L.A.M.B. according to Elle Canada and also collaborated with artists such as Andre 2000, and Linda Perry, among others. Gwen's debut gained wide success selling 309,000 copies in its first week and reached multi-platinum status in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.. Her hit song, “What You Waiting For?” reached the top ten on several music charts. Propelled by the success of her debut album, Stefani turned her focus to a new career venture.
The Launch Of 'Love, Angel, Music, Baby'
The multi-millionaire music mogul’s foray into the fashion business happened in 2003 when LeSportsac approached her to design a collection of handbags. Taking inspiration from the name of her childhood dog, she chose “L.A.M.B.” spelt out in Gothic letters as a logo and “Love, Angel, Music, Baby” as a recurring theme.
Gwen launched a full L.A.M.B. clothing line for spring 2004. She also incorporated elements of her inspirations like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, whom she had idolized growing up in Orange County and Jamaican Rastafarians. The 2006 spring collection heavily borrowed the pirates and Victorian aesthetic, and she had done her research by renting from a London costume house the Pirates of the Caribbean film costumes.
Drawing Inspiration For The L.A.M.B. Line
Stefani was introduced to haute couture clothing with help from her stylist Andrea Lieberman. The line drew inspiration from Japanese, Guatemalan, and Jamaican styles, along with Stefani’s fashion. She had also spoken on numerous occasions about her enduring love for designing. The passion project had its humble origins in Stefani’s kitchen and grew into the global business it is today with extensive partnerships and promotions.
The singer has created a mini-empire for herself with her fashion lines L.A.M.B., which brings in $90 million annually, and collaborations with established brands like Target and Apple. She has been so successful in her ventures and her customers have a genuine interest in her products.
The Apparel Sold By The Brand
As of now, the clothing line offers apparel, shoes, handbags, and more. The brand reflects a rocker-chic, sunny-California aesthetic. The featured apparel includes graphic tees, billowy dresses, funky pants, and eclectic jackets. The prices for the pieces range from $39 to $189. The mix of feminine and masculine silhouettes reflected in the clothing vibe is Stefani’s innate sense of style with a touch of Hollywood glamour. Stefani has talked about her preference for blending elements and the resulting balance from mixing hard and soft elements.
The clothing venture received widespread attention from several celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Teri Hatcher. Borrowing heavily from Harajuku fashion, Stefani expanded her collection by introducing an economic Harajuku Lovers line in her next venture. The new line has been referred to as a glorified merchandise line by the Fashionista. The new line offered a wide range of apparel, mobile phone charms, lingerie, and handbags.
L.A.M.B. Becomes A Multi-Million-Dollar Brand
Stefani's clothing line is mega-successful with mainstream prosperity, especially after its success in 2005 at the New York Fashion Week, according to Fashionista. The fashion mogul's net worth is pegged at $80 million, and L.A.M.B. is estimated to make an annual gross income of 90 million dollars. The line was received with open arms by fashion critics. The line launched an eyewear collection in January 2016 that quickly became one of the most sought-after collections in the market, winning several awards such as Frame Brand Introduced 2016, Sunglass Brand Introduced 2016, and Frame Brand Women awards. Gwen’s dedicated hands-on involvement in the collection's design plays an important role in the famous line’s success.
Aside from conquering the fashion world, the singer-songwriter has also garnered more celebrity popularity by appearing as a judge for the reality television show The Voice. She joined the panel of judges during season seven of the series. She has also been keeping up with her music career. She released her latest solo single, 'Slow Clap' in March this year. As far as her fashion career is concerned, her clothing line L.A.M.B. seems to be thriving more than fine.
Source: Pinnacle Global Network, Fashionista, Elle Canada, LA Times