Prabal Gurung’s Spring 2024 RTW at New York Fashion Week last Saturday was an amalgamation of bright and bold colourful hues, sheer layering, tulle, and sequins; against the backdrop of a plain white runway.
In times when we are all so politically and culturally uncertain and the world is full of vigilantes who aggressively strive to maintain the status quo, Prabal felt the need to celebrate the “misfits”.
Misfits are people from our communities who are invisible but not without scrutiny. And have learnt to live in fear as more and more regressive values have taken hold over our society.
In search of this “celebration of misfits,” Prabal stumbled upon the “party-going” youth of today’s generation when he was out with his nephew attending a rave in Brooklyn.
A rave is the last place one would expect to see a glimmer of meaningful hope and direction. But Prabal was deeply moved and inspired by the celebration of colours and a strong sense of optimism that he felt deep in his gut.
In the past year, Prabal had reportedly felt his hope and optimism fade and felt the need to translate that into his collection,
“I wanted to create a space for this particular show where we felt what we are feeling in the culture itself: Kind of unsure politically, culturally, but we still want to be hopeful, want to be optimistic.”
With this newfound inspiration, he ventured out into New York City to feel joy in the style, confidence, and nightlife of the younger generation and was reminded of the same unabashed authenticity and fire that his mother instilled in him when he was a child.
He wanted his metallic garments, bondage-inspired looks, and splashes of neon to stand out and depict the uniqueness and individuality all misfits possess. For that, he converted a former residence of a Japanese consulate into his plain white canvas and runway.
Models strutted down the runway clad in latex gloves and leggings, acid wash denim, ostrich feathers, and revealing bralettes and drapes.
Ella Emhoff, stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris was also seen on the runway in a white corset jumpsuit layered with a revealing mint blouse and a black lambskin mini skirt.
The whole idea was that his models played characters in a nightclub and they were dressed to be seen, noticed, make heads turn, and not monitored. And although the clothes appeared a bit costumey, they created a strong social impact.
Prabal Gurung the Emulsifier of Fashion and Politics?
Prabal Gurung has always been an ardent believer in using fashion not just as a platform for change but also as a strong political voice. Fashion and politics have never been truly immiscible and Prabal has acted as a revolutionary emulsifier in bringing the two together for the world to see.
Back in 2017, Prabal’s fall collection finale garnered immense emotional and political support for his homage to feminism and humanism.
He had models walk down the ramp in t-shirts with simple but impactful quotes like, “Love is Love”, “Nevertheless, She Persisted”, “The Future is Female”, “This is What a Feminist Looks Like”, etc.
It started a social movement that reminded the world that fashion is not just art but also a tool to be leveraged for the betterment of our society.
Prabal Gurung has always attempted to hold a mirror of reality to the world and this was also visible in his 2019 show where he made his models wear sashes that read, “WHO GETS TO BE AMERICAN?”
It was his 10th-anniversary collection and was also an attempt to rebel against Donald Trump’s, the then US president, anti-immigrant policies.
For spring/summer ‘22, he wanted his collection to be a part of the gender nonbinary movement. He found his inspiration for the collection in the trans rallies, protests, and non-binary events that he attended and supported.
With male models wearing corsets and elaborative eye makeup, Prabal redefined the meaning of womenswear and menswear. It was an attempt to give gender expression and gender experimentation the spotlight they deserved.
Floral suitings and asymmetric blouses were also part of Prabal’s ‘22 collection and stood as a strong symbol against patriarchy for everyone who fought it.
