For his fall 2019 New York Fashion Week show, Prabal Gurung took us far from Manhattan with a show that combined the ikats and brocades of South Asia with the lurex and luster of a glittering night out.
The Nepali-American designer has never shied from making these bold juxtapositions, but never before has he merged them into such an arresting package. Diamond quilted house coats in shocking pink (famously the “navy blue of India” according to Diana Vreeland) and loud puffer jackets in teal paired seamlessly with cargo pants and jumpsuits patched together in a half dozen batik patterns.
For evening, Gurung continued the theme, skillfully clashing floral brocades, here adding feather trims and metal ring embellishments. With a caftan ready for Studio 54 or a sheer coat covered in metallic tropical vegetation, these looks were in no way understated, but better than that, they vibrated with the energy of cultures near and far.
