Last week, style icon Gwen Stefani launched a limited-run collection for Target. Called Harajuku Mini, it is inspired by Stefani’s other clothing lines and by her own personal sense of style.
Many fashionistas were disappointed to learn that the collection is only for kids – but, the children that get to don these duds are truly lucky!
The stylish Harajuku Mini collection is an offshoot of the line she did with Target last year called Harajuku Lovers. All of Ms. Stefani’s Harajuku work is inspired by the bold prints and patterns of the Harajuku District of Japan, which is one of the most revered and avant garde fashion capitals of the world. It boasts an electic mix of fashion-forward styles ranging from gothic to Lolita, visual kei, decora, Asian and tribal influences, and more.
The Harajuku Mini collection for Target features clothing for boys and girls, and includes animal-inspired hoodies, tutus, and plaid pants, plus prints and graphics galore.
There is clothing for little kids up to the “tween” age. Gwen Stefani was quoted as saying, “Ultimately, with the tween line, I wanted them to feel cool and that they’re expressing themselves through their clothes — that’s what I always did. It’s a sensitive age. I was still really into Hello Kitty, but in a different way. I wanted to wear it with like, zippered skirts, but your parents still want you to be a little girl.”
About the collection as a whole, she also went on to say, “When I get dressed in the morning, it’s a reflection of how I’m feeling that day, so when I first went to Japan and saw the Harajuku, I felt like, ‘How perfect — a catwalk for kids to go, ‘I want to be real and unique and express myself.’’ That’s the DNA of the line. It’s my style mixed with the way the Japanese dress their kids — a lot of clashing and mixing and things that you wouldn’t think go together. I wanted the Harajuku Mini collection to reflect that kookiness. I also got to put some of my signature styles through the years in: punker pants, plaid skirts, zippers. Target wanted all of it. This is really cute and really wearable. It’s so fun. I wanted it to look like all of my signature looks that I’ve done through the years, kind of for children. I wanted to bring fashion to kids.”
Stefani says that own two quite stylish boys helped her design the collection. “My kids have a big opinion about it,” she said.
Check out some of the best looks from the Harajuku Mini line as well as of Gwen at the launch for Target.
~~ By: Ashley Boynes-Shuck
