Catching up with Prabal Gurung

Prabal Gurung does it again!



The New York-based Nepali designer has been nominated for The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards for the second time in a row. The fashion fraternity lauded his Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection and the LA Times’ Booth Moore labeled it as one of the top 10 shows among the New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. [break]



And the fact that Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, came to personally congratulate Gurung speaks volumes of his credentials as a designer.



Be it the styling, the beautiful runway or the selection of music, the show was superbly packaged; and the crux of the biscuit: the collection was everything you would expect from Prabal Gurung - gorgeous!



Republica caught up with the designer, who’s in the town, to talk about his new ventures, Asian sensibilities and handling stress.







You share the nomination for this year’s CFDA’s Swarovski Award for Womenswear with Joseph Altuzarra and Ashley & Mary-Kate Olsen. Your expectations?

Getting nominated for this award is an achievement in itself because you get selected from thousands of designers. But let’s just be realistic; everyone wants to win (smiles). If one wins, you can always say you’re a CFDA winner. If not, life still goes on. I have my fingers crossed.



You collaborated with shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood for your Summer/Spring 2011 Collection. Any other ventures in the pipeline?

The plan is always to expand and grow your business in different categories. There is a whole gamut of things to design – from accessories, shoes to bags. This season onward, the label will start Resort Collection. Basically, Summer/Spring and Autumn/Winter Collections are the ones that go on the runway. But in terms of sales and business, there are two more important seasons in-between—Resort/Holiday and Pre-Fall. These stay on the floor for the longest period, which means there are more sales possibilities. I had been side stepping this collection because it entails huge responsibility. And since, everyone has been asking for it, I thought why not, let’s give it a shot.



So this means more stress? How do you cope with it?

I’m in fashion not just to design clothes, but also to carve a business venture. And with the new step, I know that I’ve to compromise a little more personal space. However, I’m also aware of the fact that I’m in a position where millions would die to be. I want to embrace this opportunity whole-heartedly. Stress is there, but I try and cope with it by having optimistic views toward life. Apart from that, family and friends help a lot. I spent a lot of time skyping with my siblings, thanks to technology (laughs).



The Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection had a dash of haute-couture. Is this a sign of things to come?

This was my fifth collection. As a creative person, I had to push the envelope. Do something different. The collection was a huge risk, but it was well worth it. The positive response it garnered was worth the sweat. Haute couture is a term loosely used in fashion these days, but in order to fall into the league of these artisans one has to abide by certain guidelines. Plus, you need to be embraced by the Syndicate Chamber of Haute Couture.



What has been the most challenging thing so far?

Establishing and running a label is always demanding. The financial aspect is always tough, but dealing with the preconceived notion that my achievement is an overnight success is the tricky part. Just because I come from a well-to-do family, many think they are investing in my career, which couldn’t be any further from the truth. I don’t get a single penny from my family.



By the way, dark denim and white tees seems to be your staple. Any particular reason?

They are the easiest ones to get into (chuckles). As it is, I spend a lot of time worrying about dressing women; even in my dreams I’m designing. So, the last thing I want to worry about is how I look and spend hours on myself.



How aware are you about Nepal’s fashion industry?

Yes, Nepal’s fashion scene is still in its infancy and has a long way to go; but the effort put into it by a third world country like ours is commendable. However, a certain level of taste and knowledge is needed to acquire the finesse, which can be achieved with right exposure. I have always believed that Nepalis are one of the best dressed people. Even with the little that they have, they project themselves pretty well. However, I’m also aware about the horrible trends prevalent here. For instance, the notion that being fashionable is all about showing skin. Well, it is not!

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