Fans of Stefani’s music are supporting her fashion lines which, by the way, have taken in over two-hundred-million dollars since their inception. However, it takes more than star influence and an affinity toward an artist’s music to translate into success in the fashion arena. You need serious artistic vision for that. The world has seen what happens when celebrities attain licensing deals. Sometimes their fashion makes a statement, and sometimes it is simply a matter of slapping their name on a product for financial gain.

It is questionable, if celebrities with their own fashion lines can actually sketch or sew their designs. Stefani is one of the few who can. In fact, on occasion, she will even sit in with her staff and help to sew her creations. Epic. She learned to sew at an early age and while criticism may ensue with Stefani’s celebrity-turned-designer peers, she is the real McCoy. She has achieved success by employing her design prowess to create fashion that stands on its own merit. It is innovative, unique and demonstrably indicative of her style-icon status. Her high-end, L.A.M.B. line has made stellar headlines at New York fashion week repeatedly and promises to continue to do so – not an easy feat for any designer.

On April 15, numerous people of all ages and cultural backgrounds arrived at Macy’s to meet the Harajuku Girls. The event director for Macy’s at the Pleasanton Stoneridge Mall, Monica Gubrud, did a wonderful job ensuring that this event ran efficiently. Eager fans waited in line with their specially designed limited edition Harajuku Lovers bags. Many of the Harajuku Lovers designs revolve around Stefani’s lyrics and Kawaii depictions of herself and the four Harajuku Girls.

Since the 1970s, Kawaii, or cuteness, has become a major facet of Japanese popular culture. It can be seen in every area such as entertainment, clothing, personal appearance, behavior, mannerisms, and the like. The visual grammar of the line’s collections is what distinguishes it from its competitors. Perhaps the Harajuku Lovers tag line says it best: A Fatal Attraction to Cuteness. For patrons of the line, it is exactly that.

The excitement was palpable as fans, dressed head-to-toe in T-shirts, hoodies and tennis shoes bearing the likeness of their idol, waited for the girls to arrive. At an event such as this, you wouldn’t anticipate witnessing forty-somethings buying Stefani’s sixty-eight dollar Candy style “Fatal Attraction" canvas tote, but believe me, they were there too, along with the teenagers and twenty-somethings. The DJ played Stefani and No Doubt songs for our listening enjoyment.