Prabal Gurung’s Spring Summer 2016 show at New York Fashion Week started with chants performed by Buddhist monks. The Nepal-raised designer set up a relief fund earlier this year for the Nepal earthquake that killed nearly 9000 people in April.
And then one by one, models walked down the ramp in a collection that as a whole was a tribute to Nepal. Prabal Gurung’s inspiration clearly showing through the silhouettes. The color palette included light shades like white, pale yellow, saffron, pale pinks and peach – colors that remind you of Buddhist monasteries in Nepal.
The fabrics were a mostly flowy sheers and a mix of some satin silks, knits and shimmer. Some had water-color-like brush strokes by a Nepalese artist. Some had sequins and some threadwork The silhouettes were beautiful- fit for a breezy Spring-Summer day! The tops included sheer pussybow blouses and off-shoulder tops, some with half sleeves with conservative necklines and some sleeveless with daring deep-cut V-necks ending just above the navel. Dresses were calf to floor length, some with a hint of fringe and a mix of thigh-high slits on midi-skirts.
Here are the 8 things we particularly loved!
Sheer Pussybow Blouse
This pussybow dropped well below the waist and the sheer has us imagining wearing it to work with a pale-saffron spaghetti inside!
Flowy Fabrics, Feminine Colors and Cool, Summery Colors
Like, just gorgeous! So wearable, and feminine!
Mixing Textures and Adding Daring Necklines and Slits
It’s like the dress says, “Hey, I’m not all about a daring neckline and sexy slit! I also playfully mix fabrics and textures!”
Art, But Not Too Much!
Instead of going all-out on artistic patterns and filling the dress with a painting, Prabal Gurung’s designs have just a hint – artsy brush strokes that keep it light!
A Fresh Color Palette of Saffron, Pale Yellow, Mango
And also mixing it up! This model wears a saffron dress with pale-pink shoes!
Off-Shoulder Knits
This loose knit sweater has shoulder-cut-outs, giving it a cool every-day look!
These Peep-Midfoot (Not Peep-Toe) Shoes!
I loved these shoes. They’re gonna be our go-to Spring shoe!
Exotic Symbols and Text. And thread-like fringes!
These thread-like fringes play around when you walk, making for great Instagram pics! Plus the Hindi text with Nepalese symbols adds an interesting exotic touch!
Here are a few more silhouettes and a video:
Prabal Gurung Spring Summer 2016 at New York Fashion Week:
Shilpa Ahuja the editor-in-chief of ShilpaAhuja.com, which she founded with the goal of inspiring confidence in the modern working woman through fashion. Other than defining the direction of the magazine, she also writes about fashion & beauty trend forecasts, industry analysis, and opinions.
Shilpa’s work has been published in the University of Fashion blog and Jet Airways magazine. She is also an artist, illustrator and cartoonist. She is also the creator of Audrey O., a comic series that represents the lifestyle of millennial women. She enjoys creative writing and world travel. Her art has been exhibited at Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Aroma Hotel, Chandigarh and been published in Chandigarh Times.
Originally from Chandigarh, Shilpa also has a degree in architecture and has worked in interior project management. She is also the author of the book “Designing a Chinese Cultural Center in India”. Shilpa has a Masters in Design Studies degree from Harvard University.
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