Prabal Gurung is excited by the fact that the younger generation have "opened the door" to fashion. The Nepalese-American designer began his career interning for Donna Karan while studying at Parsons School of Design in New York before launching his eponymous label in 2009. With fans including Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson, Gurung's creations can be seen in high places, allowing him to share his own messages and causes along the way.
"Now, right after the election, when I had been actively supporting the woman I thought would be the first female president of America, I realised how the current government was so divisive,” he mused to Glamour.com, referring to Hillary Clinton losing out to U.S. President Donald Trump. "I was like, 'I can't keep quiet about it.'"
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Prabal Gurung praises digital media for changing fashion
The designer added: "Fashion is no longer just fashion. Fashion has always had the ability to affect lives, to touch people. But for the longest period of time, we've said, 'Oh, we're just pages of a magazine, that's what we all look at.' It's more than that. The younger generation and digital media have completely opened the door. It's an exciting time."
Gurung sent models down the runway during New York Fashion Week in February wearing powerful slogan T-shirts, with lines including, 'We Will Not Be Silenced,' 'Love Is the Resistance' and 'Nevertheless She Persisted'. He didn't stop there though, later unveiling the #PGTShirtSeries featuring the likes of Gigi Hadid and Ashley Graham for spring 18.
The designer's new PG T-shirt series features the likes of Gigi Hadid
"If you look back to my interviews from fall 2009 - that's when I started - I've always had the conversation, whether it's about women's issues or minority issues... How it has changed now is that people are vocal, unafraid. Is it being made radically? Not yet. But any change starts with a conversation, and I'm glad it's happening."
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