BE YOURSELF / Black Eyed Peas, nominated for “Get It Started” from “Elephunk”

Throughout the Black Eyed Peas’ seven-year existence, multilayered fusion has marked the hip-hop group’s work, whether it’s writing a Grammy-nominated song or rewriting the rules of fashion.

And why not? Lead rapper Will.i.am, a former student at L.A.’s Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, spouts fashion lingo with the best of them. He has a distinct view of his own style and that of the other three Peas--Taboo, Apl.de.ap and Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson.

Still, he doesn’t like to admit that they sometimes use stylist Lor-e Phillips, even though he’s in partnership with her in his new limited-edition clothing collection for men and women called i.am.

“My style is what is inside of me,” Will says. “What I wear is a reflection of how I feel. The only person who is going to know that is me.” Indeed, Phillips limits her job to collecting items that group members combine for their trademark looks.

“Taboo does Mexican and Indian things, but he loves Louis Vuitton,” Phillips says. “You’ll always see him with turquoise jewelry. Apl does the punk-rock thing.” This year he’s been sporting a Mohawk, along with punk’s signature safety pins, plaids and chains. “But at the same time, I’ll mix it with a blazer.” The effect? Sophisticated punk. And Will?

“Will is just Will,” she says.

His look, he says confidently, is a cross between Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist and Stymie of “The Little Rascals” from the “Our Gang” comedies. “Stymie wore suits, high pants right below his knees, and those kind of high-top dress shoes. Even with a suit jacket, it all looked raggedy,” Will says. He likes ragamuffin characters--the Huck Finns and the ‘20s newsboys in their flat caps and knickers.

“We may even go to St. Vincent DePaul and get some old-man pants in a size 40 waist,” Will explains. (He’s a 34.) “We’ll take those pants and get the waist to fit our waist so we’ll have some big-ass pants. Then I’ll cut the bottom off so I have some knickers.”

The Peas often wear tight vests over extra-long shirts, or jacket sleeves shoved up over the elbows with shirt sleeves dangling below. “That came from thrift stores and seeing a really nice jacket, and damn! This is too small and this shirt is too long,” Will says. “But that would look pretty cool--just roll up the sleeves so it looked like they were supposed to be rolled up. That became our style.”

For big performances or awards shows, the band shops for outfits just hours before they’re to arrive. For tonight’s Grammy appearance, however, the guys will wear suit looks from i.am’s fall 2005 collection.

As for Fergie, her labels include Valentino and Christian Dior as well as Dickies and Juicy Couture, says her stylist, Nonja McKenzie.

“She likes to get decked out for her awards shows,” McKenzie says. “She likes to feel like a lady and really girlie. Onstage she likes to bring more street wear to the mix to be more comfortable.”

And comfortable is what Will hopes the group members feel: “When Fergie first came, I said the Black Eyed Peas is about being yourself. I don’t care if you come with a tutu.”

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HOW TO GET THE LOOK

Black Eyed Peas co-founder Will.i.am mixes proportions, patterns and materials

for his tradmark thrift-store-meets-designer

look, now incorporated in

his limited-edition i.am

clothing collection for men

and women. Striped polyester

and cotton shirt, $398, and painted vest, $285, at Fred Segal Street, 420 Broadway, Santa Monica, (310) 395-2831.