Pop star Gwen Stefani helped wrap up New York's Fashion Week on Friday (September 16) with the runway debut of her L.A.M.B. fashion line, adding a dash of drama to a week of largely subdued styles.
Designers this week largely brought out muted colours, simple silhouettes and tailored looks, reflecting a national mood marked by tentativeness over the war in Iraq, soaring gasoline prices and rising mortgage rates.
Stefani's The L.A.M.B. ("Love. Angel. Music. Baby.") show marked the latest Read more

Pop star Gwen Stefani helped wrap up New York's Fashion Week on Friday (September 16) with the runway debut of her L.A.M.B. fashion line, adding a dash of drama to a week of largely subdued styles.
Designers this week largely brought out muted colours, simple silhouettes and tailored looks, reflecting a national mood marked by tentativeness over the war in Iraq, soaring gasoline prices and rising mortgage rates.
Stefani's The L.A.M.B. ("Love. Angel. Music. Baby.") show marked the latest attempt by a pop star to cross over into the world of haute couture. This spring, Jennifer Lopez made her New York runway debut with her "Sweetface" label to mixed reviews.
The show was not short on drama, with models emerging from tricked-out cars next to the runway that bounced at various times during the show. The clothes, which ran the gamut from gangster-style motorcycle jackets to sexy, ruffled halter dresses, seemed to hit the right note with the fashion crowd.
Stefani, originally from Southern California, dressed in baggy pants and a simple white tank, described her latest endeavour as a mix of Mexican gangster, Rasta, English countryside and old-fashioned Hollywood.
She said, "Well, I mean this collection was really, the big inspirations for it are the same inspirations I always have, I am like a repeat performer, you know. Its always going to be a little bit of the Orange County and a chola (native) girl, a little bit of the Rasta girl, and a little bit of that whole - I don't know - 'Sound of Music' kind of English girl. I think that we had this big theme - that was the Great Gatsby, you know kind of 1920s, drop waist. I just think its so sexy when you have all this covered up and then you turn around and there's just nothing there. You know, It's just like - yeah, you think I look good now, wait till I turn around. I just think its nasty."
The "nasty" appeared in dresses with high necks, occasional ruffles, and plunging, sexy low cut backs.
Stefani's husband, Gavin Rossdale, seemingly proud of her, hinted that in the future, Stefani might just put as much energy into her fashion career, as into her music. He said, "I think this is proof, testament to that its come full - you know, the two wings of her life have come together full power."
Stefani said that she owed a lot to her head designer, Zaldy, who helped her foray into the world of haute couture.
The diva confessed, "I am from Orange County, I am really late in the fashion game here, I mean I've made clothes my whole life. I've been at DKNY and Joanna Fabrics and you know outlet stores finding, you know, crap fabric and try to make costumes and all that stuff but on this level, its just a whole other game. So someone like Zaldy who's so talented, I just felt really really like blessed that I have him."
While Stefani is humble about being a neophyte in the world of haute couture, her two-year-old line has already won over some fashionistas and has been selling well at department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's. Close