New York Fashion Week Day Two.
For a second season Prabal Gurung turned to his ethnic origins. But this time, it was his childhood memories of Nepal – especially spring beneath the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas – that whetted his fashion appetite.
“Vibrant lush hillsides dotted with wild roses and rhododendrons,” said Prabal, explaining the serenity and spirituality of his childhood home.
The show started true to that spirit with denim softened by a waft of chiffon, and an organza blouse dressed with another airy drape. There was a feeling of mountain flowers in the soft colours, and the overall effect was sporty prettiness.
But Prabal, who had recently left behind the complexity of some of his early collections, seems to have re-embraced complicated design. A flow of frills at the neck and the skirt of a dress that already had floral patterns meant there was a lot going on.
As with so many designers, the collection needed editing; a way to display the clothes with the beauty of simplicity, catching the essence of Prabal’s vision: the juxtaposition of American sportswear with his Nepalese heritage.