Prabal Gurung discusses his fall 2021 "love letter to New York City" and the ways he's standing up to Anti-Asian hate.
“The Conscience of the Global Fashion Industry Lies Here”—Prabal Gurung on Being a Designer Who Stands for Something
Prabal Gurung is one of New York fashion’s most outspoken designers, advocating for the rights of women, immigrants (he’s Nepalese-American, himself), and LGBTQ people on his runways and on his social media. Lately, Gurung has been especially vocal about the rise of anti-Asian violence. On Sunday he helped to organize a Black and Asian solidarity run in lower Manhattan with friends and fellow designers Phillip Lim and Dao-Yi Chow. Before that he sat down with Vogue for a Twitter interview about mixing politics and fashion. “For me,” he clarified, “they are human issues.” This interview has been edited and condensed.
Nicole Phelps: You called the collection you just showed for fall 2021 a “love letter to New York.” Why?
Prabal Gurung: The collection was inspired by last summer in New York City, and the revolution of self-expression and unity that I saw all in all the marches and protests. I saw communities all throughout the city rallying together to express themselves and to support one another. I would say it was a very difficult time for all, but I still feel that it was one of the best summers I’ve ever had in my life. It really awakened me, it really raised my consciousness. I’ve always known this for sure, but the activists and the protesters and everyone who was there confirmed my belief that in times of uncertainty, of pandemic, the biggest resistance is joy, because that leads to hope and optimism. So this was my valentine to New York City.
NP: I was looking back over your many collections and I noticed something I wrote in a fall 2017 review. You told me that you got blowback for being political on Instagram at the time. Do you still get blowback and if not, how do you chalk up the change that has happened in that span of four years?
PG: For me it was always human issues, you know, it was not political. I’ve always been very vocal about diversity and inclusion, equality, and social and racial justice, and I often would be told that I should keep quiet and just be a designer. But it’s changed a lot and it feels great to see this industry having a conversation. No longer, you know, are fashion and substantive conversation mutually exclusive. Now, we’re entering a new era, where just making clothes is no longer enough. You have to stand for something.
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Nicole Phelps
