Prabal Gurung Spring 2019 Runway Show

THIS STORY BEGINS WITH A NOMADIC VOYAGE. A VOYAGE MOST INSPIRED BY MY RECENT TRAVELS FROM INDIGENOUS VILLAGES OF NEPAL TO THE URBAN STREETS OF TOKYO, LONDON, MUMBAI, PARIS, SHANGHAI, ABU DHABI AND NEW YORK. TODAY, I INVITE YOU TO EXPERIENCE MY CROSS-CULTURAL JOURNEY, ONE THAT SEES NO BORDERS, TIED TOGETHER THROUGH OUR ABILITY TO USE COLOUR AS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. GROWING UP IN NEPAL, I WOULD OFTEN ENCOUNTER AND INTERACT WITH THE RANA THARUS, A SUBSET OF THE THARU TRIBE, A SPIRITED GROUP FOUND IN THE SOUTHERN FOOTHILLS OF MY HOMELAND. A MATRIARCHAL CULTURE, THE RANA THARUS FOSTER A BEAUTIFUL, GIVING COMMUNITY, BUILDING THEIR ENTIRE LIVELIHOOD WITH A STRONG-WILLED DISPOSITION AND THEIR VERY OWN HANDS. WITH GRACE AND LOYALTY TOWARD THEIR SACRED BONDS, THE THARU WOMEN ARE RESOURCEFUL ARTISTS WITH RESPECT FOR THEIR LAND. THOUGH PEACEFUL IN NATURE, THE THARUS FOSTER A STRONG VISUAL IDENTITY BY HONOURING THE TRADITIONALLY VIBRANT ATTIRE, WHICH IN TURN CREATES A QUIET RESISTANCE AND EVER-POWERFUL STANCE. WE CELEBRATE THIS CRAFTSMANSHIP, JOINING WITH MODERN FEMALE ARTISANS IN NEPAL TO HAND EMBROIDER ORGANIC COTTON AND HAND DIP TIE-DYE CASHMERE KNITS. THE EASE OF CARGO, JERSEY AND DENIM IS MET WITH FEATHER EMBROIDERY AND HAND-PLEATED CHIFFON, PROVIDING OUR MODERN MUSE WITH A MYRIAD OF CHOICES THAT CELEBRATE HER FEMININITY. IN OUR MODERN WORLD AND CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE, TOGETHER WE HAVE CREATED A SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SHIFT WHERE TRADITIONAL ROLES, GENDERS AND IDENTIFI