Checking in with Prabal Gurung

“Hello! Yes, I am in New York. Staying healthy and safe. And keeping inspired.”

“No, unfortunately, I have never been to Prague before.”

“Everyday I practice gratitude for something simple and beautiful I find in my apartment or when I go for a run. Sometimes I find comfort and delight in an old book I forgot I had or a corner of my neighborhood I find unexpected beauty in.”

“I am currently watching Mrs. America on Hulu and rewatching old favorites like Wuthering Heights, Pride & Prejudice and The Sound of Music.” 

“I am very lucky to have my mom living in another wing of my building and she is an incredible chef. We eat meals together (while social distancing).” 

“I am currently reading Normal People by Sally Rooney for the first time - it’s fantastic! Also, in uncertain and trying times, I always turn back to the teachings of When Things Fall Apart by Buddhist nun and teacher Ani Pema Chödrön. This book is my constant reminder to practice gratitude even in the most difficult times. I always return to this book when I am feeling emotional or distressed, it always guides me back to feelings of hope and optimism.”

“I am an avid fan of the New York Times podcast The Daily. The recent episode featuring Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was incredible.”

“I always say that New York is a city of misfits. When I arrived in New York over twenty years ago, I felt immediately embraced by the city and the amazing, audacious, beautiful dreamers who came here to pursue their most impossible dreams and creative aspirations. This is a city of fantasy, of grit and tenacity. New York is not just my home, it is also my heart.” 

“That is an impossible question! I was exceptionally proud of the looks featuring custom prints we created in collaboration with artist Isabelle Menin. Since the collection was inspired by ‘impossible dreamers,’ I felt that partnering with an artist was a very natural fit and something we have been looking to do for awhile. Menin’s incredible floral portraits really spoke to me. They have such a romantic and yet dark quality to them.”

“Dressing Michelle Obama so early in my career was surreal, it is one of those experiences where I still pinch myself and it feels like it happened to someone else. In the start of my career, I would always call my mom to update her on the incredible women I was dressing. She once said to me, ‘That’s all great, but let’s talk once you have dressed Michelle Obama.’ When it finally happened, I called her immediately and said, ‘Okay, let’s talk.’”

“I would love to dress Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Elizabeth Warren.”

“First, thank you so much for asking me about my foundation. My work with Shikshya Foundation Nepal is extremely important to me. The organization started with the goal to touch the lives of 300 children and has since impacted over 70,000 people with all of our various initiatives. The main focus of the organization is to provide education opportunities for children and women in Nepal in the hopes of creating the next league of leaders towards a more just and equitable society. We also focus heavily on the amazing healing power of art and how harnessing one’s creativity helps to empower their soul and mind. We support students financially and emotionally and mentor them from their youngest years all the way through higher education. We also support schools in remote areas of Nepal and recently launched a program for female prisoners.”

“I have really embraced the fact that ‘normal’ as we knew it, will never be the same again. It has taken me some time but I do truly feel that I have embraced that fact. And I am extremely hopeful for what this new future has in store for us all. During this time, I have thought a lot about how we can reboot and use this time to reinvent ourselves - this also pertains to my brand. We are constantly thinking about how we can rethink the way we do business to be more sustainable, more impactful and help the world heal through our art which, in this case, is fashion.”