Gwen Stefani has confidently stood by her Harajuku Girls era and said: "I'm Japanese," something that quickly made headlines as the 53-year-old continues to prove a talking point from her music to her fashion.
Gwen Stefani Says 'I'm Japanese' And Stands Her Ground
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Harajuku Girls
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The No Doubt singer and wife to country singer Blake Shelton has defended a statement she made about race and ethnicity. She said that her first visit to the Japanese city of Tokyo left her feeling: "I'm Japanese and I didn't know it". Stefani has no known biological links to Japan.
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Father's Job With Yamaha
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Gwen spoke of her father who worked with Yamaha and regularly traveled to Japan.
"That was my Japanese influence and that was a culture that was so rich with tradition, yet so futuristic, (with) so much attention to art and detail and discipline and it was fascinating to me," the blonde added.
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'I Am!'
Speaking of her visits to the Asian country, the pop star stated: "I said, 'My God, I'm Japanese and I didn't know it'. I am, you know."
Harajuku Lovers
Gwen once came complete with her four Harajuku girls, all affording major pink funk style, one synonymous with Japan's unique fashion culture. Love, Angel, Music, and Baby was the clothing brand that came as an offshoot of Gwen's Harajuku Girls beauty line - all championed the star's love of Japan.
Says We're All Different
The Voice judge also shared: "We all have different color skin and all have different things that we wear different colors for." Gwen is not alone in being a celebrity dabbling in cosmetics. Doing similar are 42-year-old Kim Kardashian and her 25-year-old sister Kylie Jenner, plus singers Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande.
A Fashion Icon
Gwen, meanwhile, continues to make headlines for her unique and much-loved sense of style. She draws on her '90s vibes with fishnets, shorts, and her platinum blonde hair. Of course, her bold red lipstick is a must.
Harajuku Culture Thoughts
"If [people are] going to criticize me for being a fan of something beautiful and sharing that, then I just think that doesn't feel right," Gwen also said while speaking to Allure magazine. "I think it was a beautiful time of creativity… a time of the ping-pong match between Harajuku culture and American culture." She further claimed: "[It] should be okay to be inspired by other cultures because if we're not allowed then that's dividing people, right?"
