Best Coast are releasing their second album, The Only Place, but frontwoman Bethany Consentino is already adding another feather to her creative plumage, that of fashion designer.
Stereogum reports that the 25-year-old singer is launching a new fashion label this week with Urban Outfitters called Bethany Consentino For Urban Renewal. Inspired by the ‘valley girl’ look (re: California in the ’70s), the line features tops, crops and frocks all made from vintage material and retailing under US$100. Containing twelve separate items all named after famous females, such as ‘the Cher’ and ‘the Stevie,’ the line launches this May across Urban Outfitters shops.
Consentino first confirmed that she’d started designing clothes last March, in a tweet.
Stoked to announce my first ever clothing line! Bethany Cosentino for @urbanoutfitters! Drops in May! twitter.com/bestycoastyy/s…
— BEST COAST (@best_coast) March 1, 2012
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time that Urban Outfitters has cashed in on some rockstart chic, having worked with Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon two years ago on the Mirror/Dash fashion line, but there’s already been some backlash about Consentino’s decision to partner with the US fashion giant. Particularly given a current court-case that involves a lawsuit against Urban Outfitters concerning their ‘navajo’ line. What does she have to say against her detractors?
“Honestly, I don’t give a fuck” she told the LA Weekly, “People need to chill out about Urban. I would be surprised if a lot of those people don’t own something [from it].” Before going on to say “Best Coast is a brand… I’m a businesswoman.”
If you’re organised, you can probably get your hands on some of her new ‘brand’ before Best Coast make their work to Australia early next year.
There’s also an accompanying video to launch the line where the Best Coast lass talks her style and influences on the apparel. Chiefly her mother, who dressed “all witchy” like Stevie Nicks, and gave her daughter a bangin’ Joni Mitchell varsity jacket for her birthday. You can see her chat and model it below: