Women's Wear Daily (June 5th 2009)
Stefani's New Harajuku Wardrobe
Gwen Stefani's Harajuku girls are changing clothes for fall.
The singer's popular Harajuku Lovers quintet of fragrances one of the financial bright spots of a tough fall will be given a limited edition change of clothes in September.
“I think [the appeal is] twofold,” said Stefani of the success of the initial collection. “I think people really connect with these adorable little dolls. I know every time I look at the dolls, I can't help but smile. Second, the fragrances are really great extremely fresh and very wearable.”
Stefani admits it's still a surprise that Coty allowed her to launch five fragrances at once. “The idea that Coty would let me do this collection was really a fantasy,” she said. “It was part of this whole world that was in my head, and it wasn't something I thought would really come to life.”
The five limited edition dolls are bundled up in winter clothes, befitting the moniker Snow Bunnies.
“We brainstormed lots of ideas, but Snow Bunnies just felt and looked right, since it was coming out during the winter season,” said Stefani, noting the scents remain the same. “I loved the idea of the girls going skiing, snowboarding, sledding and having hot chocolate. Every season we create new versions of the girls, so you'll always see lots of changes over time.”
“One of my favorite things about this collection is that the possibilities are endless,” said Stefani. “The Harajuku Girls can go anywhere and be and do anything. We are always developing new artwork and graphics. The brand has an underlying sense of fun and whimsy and a Pop Art sensibility that is always evolving. Harajuku Lovers is like a never-ending art project!”
Added Carlos Timiraos, group vice president of global marketing for celebrity brands at Coty Prestige: “The packaging was a big part of the line's success. People were buying and collecting them all. Rather than introduce another five scents, we decided to play around with clothes; there is a lot of territory to be mined there.”
The five Harajuku Lovers are G meant to represent Stefani as well as Love, Lil' Angel, Music and Baby (the namesakes behind her L.A.M.B. fashion brand).
The Snow Bunnies will be priced at $30 per 10-ml. scent and will be available in about 2,200 doors, including Macy's, Nordstrom, Sephora, macys.com and sephora.com. They will be promoted in a national print campaign that begins in September fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines, said Leslie Oglesby, global marketing director for the fragrance brand. She added the scent will also be promoted on a dedicated Web site, HLfragrance.com, which includes interactive features designed to connect users to the brand.
While all involved declined comment on projected sales, industry sources estimated that the limited edition collection could generate sales of about $15 million retail globally in the six months the Snow Bunnies will be on counter.
Stefani is planning another Harajuku project as well. “I'm also working on a new costume and sterling silver jewelry line for Harajuku Lovers that is crazy cute,” she said.
When she's not tending to her apparel, fragrance and accessories, Stefani is busy with her day job music. “I just started a new tour with No Doubt, and we're having so much fun being back together out on the road, she said. Everything feels so right.”