'12 SS L.A.M.B

2012 Spring Summer

L.A.M.B.

Gwen Stefani stayed in L.A. for this season'sL.A.M.B. presentation, but over e-mail the day before the show she shared the three central themes in Spring's outing: Rat Pack, high voltage, and maharaja. And while the designer may have been absent, her personal style is never far from where the collection lands, so there was a healthy dose of Stefani, style darling, in the mix as well.

A menswear element came through in slouchy jumpsuits; cropped, wide-leg trousers; and a dandy suit in hypnotic black and white. It was more California cool than Rat Pack crisp, but there were a few quilted motorcycle jackets that had plenty of retro élan. Oversize bags and towering platforms provided the color jolt. A one-shoulder to-the-floor caftan in graphic black and white ikat was exactly the thing you'd like to be caught in by the paparazzi—modern, sexy, relaxed, and yes, a little maharaja. Stefani is happy to admit that L.A.M.B. is a direct reflection of her personal taste—her "dream closet," she said over e-mail. Luckily for fans—and her—it's a closet that plenty of girls still want to shop.

by.Alison Baenen

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