PRABAL GURUNG FALL 2015 RTW

Molly Mastin

Prabal Gurung Fall 2015 RTW

Mercedes- Benz Fashion Week

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PRABAL GURUNG FALL 2015 RTW

Prabal Gurung Fall 2015 Ready- To-Wear

Location& Date: 555 West 18th Street (InterActiveCorps HQ), Feb. 15, 2015. Overall Theme/Mood: Majestic Beauty. Upbeat tribal bass, fused with jazzy overtones lent themselves to an outdoorsy, bucolic feel. The building in which the show took place was the perfect neutral palette for this mountain inspired show. Serenity flowed like water throughout the entirety of the show.

Pictured below are the InterActiveCorps, and the lobby of the IAC building, which was used to house the show. The natural, mountainous theme was remembered in each aspect of the show. This building was a perfect choice to showcase RTW Fall 2015.

Major Silhouettes Shown: As stated by Style.com, Gurung made an overhaul of his silhouettes. The pieces in this line are “away-from-the-body,” “more forgiving,” but also it should be noted that there is “not significant shortage of skin” (PHELPS, 2015). When asked to comment on this drastic change in silhouette Gurung simply stated "A lot of my friends are having babies. Their bodies change. I've realized a dress can still be sexy without being skintight" (PHELPS, 2015)

Distinctive Sources of Inspiration: Old Forge, NY, namely, the Adirondack Mountains. On a weekend get away to upstate New York, Gurung explains, “It started with a picture I took of the clouds,” said Gurung backstage. “And the place, it just stuck in my mind and grew from there” (REMSEN, 2015). This is a distinctive jump from seasons past. Gurung’s inspiration has come from a mountain range in his home of Nepal for the past couple of seasons. The music used

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also showcases this jump by incorporating tribal sounds with American Jazz bringing a more American, but still natural, feel to the show.

Motifs: Drawing inspiration from clouds and locals, Gurung managed to create a snow leopard Motif that was incorporated into several looks. Pictured above is one example of an overcoat in the motif. Tribal patterns were another motif exhibited. Mostly subtle, these pieces carried a Native American feel, whilst still maintaining the feminine glamorous look Gurung is known for.

Key Colors and Fabrics: Gurung said back stage in an interview that he used a “serene color palette.” The over arching mountainous outdoor theme flows into the color scheme (IREDALE, 2015). Black, putty, Ivory, deep burgundy, dark orange, vivant red, navy and grey were the colors used in this line. Each of these exudes an earthy, grounded, yet classic feel.

There were a vast variety of textiles used. The opening number was an ivory silk slip covered by an oversized wool jacket with grey fox trim. Other looks included hand knit cashmere, velvet, mink, lambskin leather, knits and lace. Also to be noted was the use of silk, suede and leather in the footwear (IREDALE, 2015). Each of these textiles is expensive, exclusive, and boasts a luxurious look and feel.

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PRABAL GURUNG FALL 2015 RTW

Oversized Knit Cashmere Sweater With Silk Slip and Fur Shawl

Black Lambskin Dress with Tribal Cutouts

Navy Velvet and Mesh Dress with Fur trimmed Overcoat

Silk Slip with Wool and Fur Trimmed Duffel Coat

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PRABAL GURUNG FALL 2015 RTW

Accessories: Accessories were not the star of the show this go around, in fact, they did not even make the show! None of the 35 looks dawned accessories. This is intentional, and in keeping with the minimalistic style of the show. It was all about the garment and the model.

Cosmetics: The cosmetics of this show were also kept minimalistic. Pin straight and middle parted; the hair styling was simple and natural. Makeup was present on the models, but it too was natural. The models carried a dewy glow, with minimal eye make up accompanied by a neutral lip. Women’s Wear Daily titled the beauty slideshow for this show “Outdoorsy Athletic” (RAMSEN, 2015). This compliments the theme of the show perfectly.

Commentary: Four commonly noted ideas in commentaries of this show were: mountain, strong, elegant and glamorous. I think that these words perfectly describe this season’s line. Known for his feminine touch, this idea is also carried throughout this season’s line. The inspiration of the ADK carries through to the overall design and alludes to strength in each of his pieces this season.

Trending Fall 2015 RTW: After viewing many of the shows this season I noticed a couple things. Firstly, texture is trending. Knits, leathers and furs were all over the runways. Gurung hit the nail on the head with this trend. He showcased multiple leather, fur, and knit pieces. Colors that seemed to be popular this season were Gray, metallic, mustard, Navy, and shades of deep reds. Gurung’s final look, a navy, metallic, sequined floor length gown, stole the show. Not to mention, this look nailed so many trends in one look.

Tory Burch also used a similar bold tribal print that Gurung used, and included shades of deep red. Donna Karan, and Altuzarra both included fur-trimmed

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PRABAL GURUNG FALL 2015 RTW

jackets in their lines. Another American designer’s who had similarities to Gurung’s line were Mark Jacobs, and Tibi. Both Fall 2015 RTW lines used a lot of Navy. Another trend this season was a monochromatic look. Many designers utilized this look including Altuzarra, and Vera Wang.

Gurung differed from many designers as well. While his clothing was not clingy, it was still very sexy and femme. A lot of designers this season carried over an oversized look, but also added a military flare. There was no sign of military inspired pieces anywhere on Gurung’s runway. While Vera Wang utilized a monochromatic knit look, shown above, she did so in a very different way than Gurung. Carolina Hererra utilized a bold printed dress, but it differed greatly from Gurung’s. His was flowy and silky while Hererra’s was boxy and less feminine. Michael Kors had several military inspired looks in his show this season. This was opposite of what Gurung produced in terms of style, color palette, and trend. Another American Designer who varied greatly was Rag and Bone. This line had a rocker chic feel brought on by shiny fabrics, bold colors, and a homogenous feel.

Vera WangMonochromatic

Marc JacobsNavy

Donna KaranFur Trimmed Coat

Tory BurchTribal Print

Rag and BoneRocker Chic

Michael KorsMilitary Inspired

Carolina HererraBoxy Printed Dress

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PRABAL GURUNG FALL 2015 RTW

Consumer acceptance: This line would be easy for women to wear for several reasons. Firstly, because there is a loser fit to each of the pieces in this line, many women would feel comfortable wearing it. Over the knee hemlines offer a sense of modesty. Gurung kept this line sexy and feminine while maintaining a modest feel. Another reason consumers are likely to accept this line is ease of wear ability. Oversized jackets and sweaters are comfortable, and easy to wear. For these reasons this line will be accepted by consumers. Overall, I believe that this line would most strongly appeal to women in their 30’s – 50’s.

Design Appeal: As previously mentioned, these designs offer a sexy feel, yet maintain modesty. They are classy and stylish. The overarching stylistic design created by Gurung is appealing to many types of women. The sexiness of these pieces comes from the drape, textiles, and design. Not the clinginess we have seen in the past. The design elements of many of his pieces would make any women from a new mother, to a runway model, simultaneously feel sophisticated, sexy, and beautiful.

Modifications: While there are many positive design elements, personally, I would shorten, or slightly lengthen the hemlines of the dresses. Barely covering the kneecap is a hard line for every body type to pull off. I typically go for just above the knee line, or floor length for this reason. To appeal to a younger demographic, I would offer certain pieces in shorter hemlines.

My Top 5 Looks:

Look 3Look 2Look 1

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PRABAL GURUNG FALL 2015 RTW

Look 1: I specifically love the coat featured in this look. The contrasting white fur trim, on black cashmere is very striking. It is glamorous without being over the top.

Look 2: The texture of this dress pairs nicely with the bold patterns and design elements featured. The high side slit, exposing the outer thigh, pairs nicely with the longer hemline. This is my favorite piece of the entire collection.

Look 3: Plunging necklines are extremely trendy this season. Gurung adds a twist by adding an inverted V split down the middle of the hemline as well. The design is extremely sexy, but not overly revealing. The textiles chosen for this look, velvet and silk, exude luxury. I also love the bone clasp in the center of the dress.

Look 4: Effortless beauty. The drape of the fabric used in this dress is incredible. A simple, long sleeve, t-shirt style dress is made to be glamorous with touches of silk and mesh.

Look 5: Gurung nailed sexy and sophisticated with this look. The high round neck cuts in in an extremely graceful way, exposing a little extra shoulder that usual. The entire gown is beaded.

Cultural Analysis Behind the Trends: Baby it’s cold outside!! The past few winters have been brutal all across America. From the North to the South women are looking for stylish, yet functional ways to keep warm. Voilà, many designers, including Gurung, had parkas, furs, and oversized coats in their shows this season. Another trend highlighted by Women’s Wear Daily was “Festive Folklore” (IREDALE, 2015). From Dolce and Gabbana’s ad in Vogue to the runways, cultural nostalgia is everywhere. This was definitely played up in Gurung’s line through a plethora of knits, prints, and embroidered pieces. America is more of a melting pot now than ever. I believe this trend has emerged from a greater general acceptance of other cultures.

Prabal Gurung: Singapore born, Kathmandu, Nepal raised, New Delhi, India Educated. After leaving the National Institute of Fashion and Technology in New Delhi, Gurung worked in Melbourne and London eventually making his way to NYC. While in NYC he interned with Donna Karan and attended Parsons School of Design. Upon graduation he spent a couple of years on Cynthia Rowley’s design team. Eventually in 2009 He was able to launch his own line. He is one of the newer designers, but I think he will quickly become an old favorite. Prabal Gurung currently lives in New York City (Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, 2015).

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References

Design Leadership Summit. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2015, from

http://blog.glenngissler.com/2013/12/04/design-leadership-summit-2013

Garofalo, A. (2015, February 14). Tibi Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear - Collection - Gallery -

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http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashion-shows/fall-2015-ready-to-wear/tibi/

collection/34

Iredale, J. (n.d.). Prabal Gurung RTW Fall 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015, from

http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2015/review/prabal-gurung

Masse, S. (2015, February 16). Carolina Herrera Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear - Collection -

Gallery - Style.com. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from

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http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashion-shows/fall-2015-ready-to-wear/

carolina-herrera/collection

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2015, from

http://mbfashionweek.com/designers/prabal-gurung

Phelps, N. (2015, February 16). Prabal Gurung Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show:

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http://www.style.com/fashion-shows/fall-2015-ready-to-wear/prabal-gurung

Pucci, G. (2015, February 15). Tory Burch Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear - Collection -

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burch/collection/31

Remsen, N. (2015, February 25). Prabal Gurung Fall 2015 RTW. Retrieved March 3,

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Vlamos, Y. (2015, February 16). Donna Karan Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear - Collection -

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karan/collection/20

Vlamos, Y. (2015, February 17). Vera Wang Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear - Collection -

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wang/collection/35

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Vlamos, Y. (2015, February 17). Rag & Bone Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear - Collection -

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bone/collection/9

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