fashionologie

Prabal Gurung, a Designer Who's Experienced a Rapid Ascent, Appropriately Channels "Warp Speed" for Fall 2010

fashionologie — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:59:42 -0800

>> Imagine having Anna Wintour and Bee Shaffer sit in on your first ever runway show; that's just what happened to Prabal Gurung yesterday in Bryant Park. Rachel Zoe, who helped the designer score his first major red carpet dressing moment by putting Demi Moore in one of his dresses, too, was there. As were Prabal's sister and brother-in-law, who flew in from his native Nepal for the occasion.

So could Gurung live up to all the hype that he's been garnering in the past year? His Fall 2010 collection, which was about "warp speed" and the fast-paced modern world (appropriate considering his rapid ascent), started off with a cashmere coat: white in the front, black in the back. The colorblocking effect ran its way through pants with flatteringly curved seams, across the bodice of a dress, and on to highlight the lining of a hooded jacket. Then it was on to dresses: Gurung's specialty. One black and white ruffle-fronted number with a revealing mesh back is sure to get play. Zoe Saldana was front row - perhaps scoping out options for the Oscars? If true, one thing will play in her favor: the collection photographs strikingly.

fashionologie — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 09:45:43 -0800

>> Prabal Gurung's Fall 2010 Show to Be Streamed Live Shortly -Prabal Gurung just announced that his first runway show, taking place this afternoon at 4 PM EST, will be livestreamed on Swarovski's website. He Tweeted: "pls join us there? xoxo pG" [@prabalgurung]

fashionologie — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:49:33 -0800

>> Prabal Gurung Thinks of His Girl as the "Thinking Man's Sex Symbol" -Rising star Prabal Gurung, who was recently awarded $25,000 by the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation and named an inaugural CFDA Fashion Incubator designer, when asked about the kind of girl he designs for: "The one I always think about is the thinking man's sex symbol. Women as a gender are more complex, layered, and interesting than men, I personally find. A beautiful girl is a beautiful girl, but a beautiful girl with brains is a lethal combination." [The Cut]

Prabal Gurung, Sophie Theallet, Justin Giunta Among Inaugural Fashion Incubator Designers

fashionologie — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:58:25 -0800

>> The CFDA Fashion Incubator, announced last October in partnership with New York City's Mayor Bloomberg, has its first twelve tenants. Among those named as part of the inaugural group of designers: Alice Ritter, Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Sophie Theallet, Gemma Redux's Rachel Dooley, Grey Ant's Grant Krajecki, House of Waris's Waris Ahluwalia, Jolibe's Joel Diaz, Lewis's Alison Lewis, Public School's Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, Ruby Kobo's Yuvi Alpert and Danna Kobo, and Subversive Jewelry's Justin Giunta.

The designers each received two-year leases on design studio spaces ranging from 800 to 1,000 square feet at 209 West 38th Street in Manhattan, with subsidized, below-market rental rates of between $1,500 and $2,000 per month. To earn a spot, the designers had to submit a business plan, show they had "substantive editorial coverage" and orders from high-level retailers, have been in business for over a year and a half, and be supporting a staff.

Prabal Gurung, Joseph Altuzarra, John Patrick Organic Awarded $25,000 by Ecco Domani

fashionologie — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:46:08 -0800

>> In the last year, Prabal Gurung and Joseph Altuzarra have both skyrocketed in the spotlight, and now they have a little extra pocket change for their sure-to-be-watched Fall 2010 presentations. Both designers, along with Ross Menuez of Salvor Projects and The Blonds, were awarded $25,000 apiece by the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation for their Fall womenswear presentations, as was John Patrick Organic, awarded in the sustainable design category, and Irini Arakas of Prova in the accessories category.

For the first time, in addition to their own singular New York Fashion Week presentations, the winning designers will also partake in a group Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation runway show Feb. 15 at the Bryant Park Tents. All the show's comings and goings will be taped for a documentary about the winners, to be aired on the Lifetime Network in March.

Prabal Gurung Definitely On the Verge with His Spring 2010 Collection

fashionologie — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:38:04 -0700

>> Prabal Gurung is on the verge: Glenda Bailey stopped by this afternoon at his sunlit Flag Art Foundation presentation, Harper's Bazaar posse in tow, to schmooze with the designer; Meredith Melling Burke - in cropped Fashion's Night Out tee, natch - got a personal tour of the collection by the designer; fan Rachel Zoe - who recently dressed Demi Moore in Prabal - stopped by with assistant Brad Goreski, causing the usually imperturbable fashion crowd to collectively gawk; and Cathy Horyn stepped out of the elevator as I was leaving.

For his second eponymous collection, the Bill Blass alum, inspired by "Maggie Betts, Zoe Saldana, and Indre Rockefeller," as listed in his show notes, stuck largely to what he does best: cocktail dresses, all in a palette of cobalt, white, and black. The piece de resistance? A stunningly simple electric blue gown.

Young Designers Have to Put on a Show to Succeed These Days

fashionologie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:22:13 -0700

>> Prabal Gurung, whose debut Fall 2009 collection earned him a spot on the designers-to-watch list, revealed to the New York Times that young designers can't just make chic clothes and succeed these days - there are various other factors. “I’ve certainly been told who I need to be hanging out with.”

And instead of showing buyers clothes in his tiny studio apartment, he previews his collection in an apartment that belongs to a rich friend. Cathy Horyn writes:

"Five or six years ago buyers expected to find a young designer sleeping in a hole next to his fabrics. That’s where they found Miguel Adrover. He had even stopped paying the rent, he was so down and out. Now, though, they expect to see a designer in a luxury apartment he can’t possibly afford."

Gurung, who uses cashmere and wool even though industry friends told him he should make clothes like Balmain ("[Balmain's] not my voice"), had those same buyers tell him they wanted "modern fabrics." He thought they were making excuses not to place an order, so he asked them what they meant: "They answered, 'Some kind of modern feel.' [laughing] I think they meant some kind of techy fabric."

fashionologie — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 22:20:47 -0800

>> INSIDER WIRE -All things aside, Peter Som seems to be enjoying his break from the Fashion Week grind - since he doesn't have to be stressing out and working on his finishing touches like usual, he's been hitting the shows - John Bartlett, Costello Tagliapietra, where he was laughing and chatting front row, and Prabal Gurung, to support his former design director at Bill Blass. Vera Wang, on the other hand? Not so lucky: Today, she was "a little bit crazed . . . because my favorite fabrics haven't even arrived yet. So far we're absolutely nowhere on this collection, I would say we're about 8 days away and nothing is working." [WWD, Style File]
*image: source

Blass Second-in-Command Prabal Gurung Takes the Reins for Fall 2009

fashionologie — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:45:12 -0800

>> He filled in as chief designer at Bill Blass for the Spring 2008 season before Peter Som took over, and was set to produce the Fall 2009 Blass collection after Som left until things with the label fell apart. Now former Blass design director Prabal Gurung is striking out on his own with a signature label for Fall 2009, his first show kicking off Fashion Week Feb. 12. And judging by the pre-show coverage - WWD, Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, Fashion Week Daily - he'll do just fine, even in a recession.

Working out of his makeshift showroom - an on-loan studio apartment that belongs to an editor friend - Gurung, who has been selling made-to-measure to private clients for a few years, is putting the finishing touches on his self-funded, twenty-look collection, which he says is all about "well-made clothes": "At Bill Blass, I learned the way clothes are supposed to be made - there are no shortcuts. Just well-finished clothes. That’s the kind of approach I’m taking - it’s not about being trendy."

It helps that he already has the industry support - "It’s been very emotional, the amount of support I’ve gotten, without asking" - and scoring coveted casting agent James Scully and T Magazine and former British Vogue stylist Tiina Laakkonen to cast and style the show, respectively, won't hurt. Now it's all about bringing that sketch of four of his Fall 2009 looks to life - we'll be watching.
*image: source

Peter Som Out For Good at Bill Blass

fashionologie — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:28:10 -0700

>> Anna Wintour's words may have mended things for a few months, but ultimately, Peter Som has still decided to part ways with Bill Blass.

Som left the brand after his contract expired a week and a half ago to focus on his own label, and Prabal Gurung, longtime second-ranking design director at Bill Blass, will be working with the existing team to produce the Fall 2009 Blass collection.

As previously reported, Som was unhappy with NexCen, the owners of Bill Blass, because he felt they couldn't financially support his creative vision; The Spring 2009 show was scrapped in favor of a retailer presentation, fabric vendors and embroiderers weren't being paid in a timely manner, and according to an industry source, NexCen "knew very little about how to run a luxury brand, much less rebrand one."

NexCen is still trying to sell Blass, a process that is taking longer than expected - just one more reason Som left. The delay in sale also caused some retailers to pass on the Spring 2009 Blass collection, due to all the uncertainty. For a brand that could use the money, that can't be good.
*image: source