Cosmopolitan (June 2004)
It’s good to be Gwen Stefani
With a solo album in the works, a new fashion line in stores, and a big movie on the way, Gwen Stefani's career is on fire. Oh yeah, and did we mention she also has that rock-god husband, Gavin Rossdale? Today, she lets us into her fab world.
When Gwen Stefani walks into the trendy 60 Thompson hotel in New York City, it's obvious why she's touted almost as much for her unique style sense as she is for her amazing singing and songwriting abilities. She's dressed in an old pair of Levi's, a Vivienne Westwood belt, a funky Libertine jacket, and sexy-as-hell green Christian Dior snakeskin stilettos. The ensemble is made even more striking by Gwen's signature platinum-blond hair, porcelain-pale face, and saturated red lips.
And although the 34-year-old Southern Californian's look is pretty much what we've come to expect from the trendsetter, so much has changed in Gwen's world over the past year. For starters, she's taking a break from No Doubt, the band she's been the front woman of for 17 years, to try a few solo projects: an album and her first big-screen role (more on those later). She's also been busy designing a new line for L.A.M.B., her clothing and accessories label that launched handbags with LeSportsac in 2003, and a full clothing line in the spring of 2004. But the most significant change in her life is spelled out in the platinum and pave-diamond necklace she's wearing: the word wife in script, given to her by her husband, rocker Gavin Rossdale of the band Bush, on their first wedding anniversary. Even with so much going on, Gwen still made time to dish about it all with Cosmo.
Cosmo: Is No Doubt officially splitting up?
Gwen: I thought it would be a good publicity stunt to say we were breaking up, but really we're not. We decided after our album Rock Steady that we were going to take some time apart to pursue independent projects. And I really wanted to do a movie.
C: You landed the role of Jean Harlow in the upcoming The Aviator. What is your part like?
G: It's very small. I was only shooting for four or five days, so I'll barely be onscreen for two minutes, which is so hilarious, because they're making it sound like I'm die star of the movie.
C: Do you want to keep acting?
G: I've been trying to do films for years, but it's hard to find the right roles. So I've decided to wait until die next good part comes along and develop a record on my own in the meantime. I'm calling it a side project because I don't want people to think I'm leaving the band.
C: What’s your new solo CD going to be like?
G: Its going to be a fun '80s-inspired retro dance album. It's out in August.
C: How's it coming so far?
G: It's been hard to focus. Coming off the tour and having my first year of being married, I'm kind of lazy. I like to lie around with my husband and watch TV and stuff like that. It takes a lot of selfish time to make music. That's the reason why the band's been successful all these years-that's all we ever did.
C: Wasn't that tough on the band members' relationships?
G: All of our girlfriends and boyfriends were always secondary. Tony [the bass player] was my boyfriend for eight years, so that made it easy. Then I met Gavin, and we were both constantly on tour for the last seven years. Gavin and I would only spend like five weeks together at one time in all the years that we went out. It was really hard, but when we're apart, we get more work done.
C: You were the only girl in an all-guy band for 17 years. Are you more of a guy's girl, or do you have a girlie side Io you?
G: I'm totally a girlie girl. But I definitely can hang with the guys in the band because we have music in common. They're like my brothers.
C: Was it ever hard, though, especially with all the groupies and screaming girls?
G: The thing is, they're not just guys, they're guys in a band that tons of really cute girls come to see on tour. There have been times when I had to put my foot down and say "You know what? I don't want to be part of this; this is disgusting," or whatever. The girls backstage and all that stuff-it can get out of hand sometimes.
C: What's it like to be on tour for a year at a time?
G: Reality becomes totally skewed, but it's such an amazing time because you get lost in your own world, and that's what's so hard about coming off a tour. All of a sudden you go, Oh my God, I have to have keys. I have to have money in my purse. Someone is not going to do every single thing for me.
C: One of the great back stories of No Doubt is that you and Tony remained friends and bandmates after you split. How did you do that?
G: I don't know, but I think it was probably the passion for music. We just loved the band so much, and I guess we knew that it was worth it. But him breaking up with me was the most incredible thing, because before that, I was a very passive person who was dependent on him for my happiness. I was only 17 when I stalled seeing him, and I never had any other serious boyfriends before that, so I glamorized the relationship and I was so in love. When he broke up with me, I started writing all these songs, and I found my talent, which was the most empowering thing that ever happened to me.
C: Was it weird for him that you were using the breakup in your songs?
G: I think it probably was, but we were always such good friends, and he was happy for me that I was discovering my writing talent. But I'm sure he went through some pain too. And then when I met my husband, it was really hard for him to see me with someone else.
C: Do you now use Gavin when you're writing songs?
G: Yeah, I'm definitely inspired by him. He's the one who gets to me and turns on my feelings, and when my feelings are turned on, I can write songs. He's definitely my muse.
C: Are you each other's biggest fan or worst critic?
G: I am totally his biggest fan, but music-wise, when we first met, we weren't into each other's bands at all. I know he didn't like No Doubt that much; he liked one song. But he's grown to like it more. And the rock music he does wasn't something I was big on. But then I realized how talented and poetic he is, and he's such an amazing writer, so now I'm completely a fan of his music.
C: Did you legally change your name when you got married?
G: Yeah, to Rossdale. I'm traditional, and so is he. We like tradition here and there. I kept Stefani as my stage name.
C: Do you struggle to maintain privacy in your relationship?
G: I don't ever feel like I've been very secretive about who I am. My songs are basically my diaries. Our relationship is very real, and when we got married, it became even more sacred. But if I start talking about it more, suddenly it's out there for people to criticize and to have an opinion about, and you know what? No. People don't get to do that.
C: Is it tough for you to deal with critics?
G: I have a hard time reading stuff on my Web site. I've actually been considering shutting it down because it's such a great opportunity for people to bag on you. It feels like die more I'm out there in the public eye, the more criticism I get. You need to have confidence-that's what it takes to walk out there and sing a song in front of a huge group of people. But the criticism hurts, and it fucks with you.
C: It doesn't seem like you care what people think about what you wear...
G: Ever since I hit puberty, I've been really into having my own look. I would buy old men's pajama bottoms and peg them and wear my monkey boots and my tank tops. I was also really into Hollywood glamour: skinny eyebrows, lots of powder with red-black lips, and tons of mascara. And if you look back, I've been doing it since I was 17.
C: Why did you decide to start a clothing line?
G: My stylist, Andrea, and I were making so many outfits that we decided, Why don't we do a clothing line together? It's every girl's dream. We were going to do something really small and just sell our stuff at a few boutiques, and then I met this guy who said he wanted to do a clothing line with me and pay for everything. The best part was he said I could do whatever I wanted creatively. I was like, Are you kidding me? Okay.
C: How did you come to call the line L.A.M.B.?
G: I had a dog for 16 years, and I called her Lamb because she was like the lamb in "Mary Had a Little Lamb" - she followed me everywhere I went. So then I thought Lamb would be a cool name for my clothing line, because it would be like my dog living on through my clothes. So when we did the bags with Le Sportsac we decided that L should stand for Love, A for Angel, M for Music, and B for Baby. So there's a few meanings to it.
C: You are so busy. Do you ever have time to work out?
G: I have to work out really, really hard to be as hot as I am. Its difficult for me. I think I went on my first diet in sixth grade. It's in my genes to be a little bigger and I don't like that, admittedly. I want girls to know that I work at it-it's not easy, and it doesn't come naturally, unfortunately.
C: Do you hove any bad habits?
G: Whenever I go on a diet and get myself incredibly healthy and hot looking, I start to go, Oh, I look cute, let's have some pizza. And then the whole cycle begins all over again.
C: Are you domestic?
G: I'm not, and it's so embarrassing. I always thought that I was going to be this perfect wife and mom. I fantasized about it for so long, and I'm not very good at cleaning up and doing die homemaker tiling. The one tiling that makes me feel super lucky about my financial success is that I have a housekeeper. And if that ever got taken away, I would be really, really, really bummed.
C: What's the best perk of being a star?
G: You always manage to get super good tables in restaurants.
C: Have you ever had a great encounter with a fan?
G: I was driving down Hollywood Boulevard one day and I saw this guy wearing an old No Doubt shirt, so I knew he was a die-hard fan. I rolled down the window, and I yelled to him, "Hey, cool shirt." he was probably about 19. The guy seriously nearly fell over. He totally tripped. It was so cute.
Gwen on Her Many Looks
Cosmo got this style icon to reveal the thinking behind some of her most famous fashion choices.
1997
Music First event "I did these little buns since my hair had fallen out from overbleaching. The bindi was from India, the last place we played on tour. I really got into that culture."
2001
Grammy Awards "For prom, my mom made me a dress that looked like Grace Kelly's in Rear Window. I wanted to do that again, so John Galliano made this dress for me."
2001
My VH-1 Music Awards "This is when Rock Steady came out I did this whole red, black, and white thing-on the album cover too. It was my favorite time period for my clothes."
2004
Golden Globes "Some people didn't like my look; I thought it was classic. My hair is '60s Hitchcock. The dress is vintage Valentino-so conservative. I think I looked pretty."
2004
Grammys "This is L.A.M.B. It's all one I piece. I had the fabric copied from a Jean Harlow dress.Its circles on a modern version of white chiffon. It turned out really well."
Glamorous Gwen: Cover-Star Stats
Name: Gwen Stefani
Age: 34
Hometown: Anaheim, Calif.
Current homes: London and L.A.
Going platinum: "Platinum blond is my fantasy hair color, because I was always obsessed with Jean Harlow and Marilyn Monroe. I have to bleach it about once a month."
Magic's in the makeup: "I've been using Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. I like foundation that looks like you're not wearing any, and this one is great."
Cream of the crop: "My hairdresser turned me on to Physique Frizz Control Curl Cream. It's not crazy expensive, and it has a yummy scent."
Scent-sational stuff: "I don't really like perfume, but I do wear Victorias Secret Skin-Silkening Body Lotion in Pear Glace. I love things that smell sweet and fruity."