Prabal Gurung combined his love for New York City and Nepal with a Fashion Week show that featured psychedelic flower prints infused with New York edginess.
Gurung left behind some of the more controversial themes from past collections to create a dreamy, travel-inspired vibe at Wednesday’s Spring Studios show in Manhattan. With a New York sensibility, Gurung paired dip-dyed textiles and textiles from Nepal with plunging silky tops and form-fitting mid-length dresses and thigh high boots.
Gurung stated that it was a New York love song for Nepal in an interview prior to the show. “It’s an celebration of women here, and there.” Gurung, who was born in Singapore but raised in Nepal, stated in show notes that he had not been back to Nepal in many years due to the pandemic.
He said, “For my motherland, it is like an insatiable desire, but I still visit in my daydreams and childhood memories, as well as in treasured photo albums.” He observed that the beauty of his motherland was often overlooked, and her women are also ignored. Here I am trying to tell the story of the shining, celestial, and magnificent women that make up the nation.
The designs evolved from a palette of jewel-toned colors to bright pops of color. Gurung stated that he saw “Nepali village women… reimagined in a cosmopolitan New York setting filled with impossible dreamers.”
The strappy cutout details in the front and back of his designs were a common theme — they are reminiscent of the outfits that have become so popular with Gen Zers. Gurung, however, was more attached to the strappy look. The cutouts are a play on traditional blouses worn in Nepal by women.
Gurung’s collection was characterized by some very edgy looks, but he also highlighted the national flower of his country, the Rhododendron. Gurung said that the fuchsia blooms blanket the mountains in Nepal and offer an almost intoxicating hiking experience.
Gurung stated that he wanted to inspire his viewers to travel and dream this season, especially after two years of the pandemic.
He said, “I always walk the fine balance between hope and pragmatics.”
