"This is part of Gwen's big fantasy," Sara Scargall, design director at Jerry Leigh, who is collaborating on the line with the pop superstar, told WWD. "Gwen wants to give back to her fans. She wants everybody in the family to access this in terms of price points, silhouettes and categories."
In fact, Harajuku Lovers is a response to what Stefani noted is a limited market for her successful designer contemporary collection, L.A.M.B., which she is taking to the New York runway during fashion week next month. Unlike L.A.M.B., and its co-branded products with LeSportsac and the new sneaker collection with Royal Elastics, Harajuku Lovers wholesales between $20 and about $45.
"Everything will retail for under $100," said Scargall. "That was important to Gwen."
Also key is that the line remain active, Scargall added, and everything be cut from supersoft grinded or enzyme-washed cotton and fleece. Edges are raw and hemlines extended to add to the slouchy, street-informed, borrowed-from-boyfriend look. That is, except for the six-style intimates line of panties, camis, bras and drawstring lounge pants. Denim, she noted, is nowhere on the drawing board.
The graphics and allover prints of the two first groups draw directly from this year's hit songs and videos from Stefani's platinum-selling solo effort "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." The "Tick Tock" group riffs on the "Alice in Wonderland" theme in the "Watcha Waitin' For" video, while the "Banana" collection calls to mind her current chart-climber, "Hollaback Girl."
From season to season, the line, Scargall noted repeatedly, "is lyrically inspired. In one song, Gwen sings about mixing and mismatching, and that's what she wanted for the line."
The line will begin trickling in at Urban Outfitters stores and select specialty boutiques such as Kitson in Los Angeles and Big Drop in New York in late August; full shipping to wider channels is targeted for a fall-holiday delivery.