86 posts tagged "Prabal Gurung"
Bull’s Eye: Liberty United x Giles & Brother
Last night at the Jane hotel’s rooftop bar, the likes of Parker Posey, Jenna Lyons, and Glenn O’Brien joined social entrepreneur Peter Thum to fete the debut of his brave new label, Liberty United. Thum works with local governments to source confiscated or bought-back firearms and melted-down bullet casings, which he then hands over to artists and jewelers to turn into covetable, and politically conscious, accessories. A portion of the proceeds from the collections will be donated to initiatives seeking to reduce gun-related violence in the U.S.
Thum tapped Giles & Brother’s Philip and Courtney Crangi to design Liberty United’s first lineup, which comprised a series of necklaces, rings, and bracelets in the form of brass, steel, and sterling-silver nails. The wares are each stamped with the serial number of a permanently impounded and decommissioned weapon and can be engraved with up to eight characters of your choosing. “It’s our signature,” Philip Crangi told Style.com of the spike motif, “but it’s a brand-new model.” Showing off a tray of brass bracelets, he added, “We made these out of smelted bullet shells.”
It was Thum’s wife, actress Cara Buono, who pushed for Liberty United on American turf, after witnessing her husband’s success with Fonderie 47, a similar project that he launched in Africa. “[Thum] doesn’t do this for glamour,” said Courtney Crangi. “He does it because of his heart.”
Guests were eager to purchase and personalize their jewelry. Earlier in the evening, Philip surprised Courtney with a cuff imprinted with “MOMMY,” and Prabal Gurung chose the initials “G.U.P.” for his bracelet. While that monogram stood for “Grace Under Pressure,” it could just as easily have been read as a fitting, mission-centric message: Guns Used Peacefully.
Giles & Brother for Liberty United can now be ordered online, at www.libertyunited.com. Prices start at $85.
Shape Shifters
Color-blocking is undergoing a deconstruction of sorts as the Resort 2014 collections trickle in. Referencing the footholds of cubism, designers system-wide have boldly incorporated abstract forms into their wares, to both svelte and striking effect.
Prabal Gurung (above, center) showed an Americana-tinged tricolored knit dress that blended polka dots, stripes, curves, and angles alike. It had a faint Bauhaus air to it as well. At Peter Pilotto (above, left), Pilotto and his design partner, Christopher De Vos, offered an arresting long-sleeve column in contrasting navy and white. And Roksanda Ilincic (above, right), long known for her shape-pairing skills, presented a day dress of pool-blue and turquoise horizontal stripes, which were interrupted by vertical slivers of yet more midnight, ivory, and a touch of glittering cerulean. We think Picasso would have been proud.
Donna Karan Hearts Haiti
Donna Karan has a special place in her heart for Haiti. After an earthquake devastated the country in 2010, Karan focused the efforts of Urban Zen—a foundation she founded in 2007 that aims to raise awareness, inspire change, preserve culture, and empower children—on Haiti. “In my travels throughout Haiti, I realized that the solution for rebuilding the country could be found in the inherent creativity of the people,” Karan told Style.com. This concept is at the core of her latest project, Fashion for Haiti: One Million Hearts. In partnership with eBay and the CFDA, Karan’s Urban Zen enlisted almost 150 CFDA designers to adorn and customize papier-mâché hearts—each of which was crafted by Haitian artist Magali Dresse.
Prabal Gurung jumped at the chance to help and designed hearts using fabric from his Fall ’13 collection. “[My Fall] inspiration was female empowerment, which I felt was appropriate to this cause,” said Gurung. Maria Cornejo wanted to make something “warm and textured,” and covered her hearts in red pony skin and stretch leather. Meanwhile, Pamela Love explained that her heart is meant to represent the third eye. Along with brands like Calvin Klein, Band of Outsiders, Oscar de la Renta, and Narciso Rodriguez (just to name a few), Karan created a slew of hearts, too. One series captures the youthful spirit of DKNY, one is for Urban Zen (“They represent my nomadic side,” said Karan), and one is for the Donna Karan line—we have to say, these are particularly adorable. “These are an expression of the feminine,” Karan told us. “They’re a beautiful, sensual woman’s heart.” All of the one-off objets d’hearts will be put up for auction on eBay, from April 22 through May 2. All proceeds will benefit Urban Zen’s Artisan program, which is dedicated to creating jobs and vocational education, as well as highlighting the creativity of Haiti’s artisans.
Can’t Beat the Real Thing
Despite last night’s spontaneous blizzard, designers and fashion fixtures headed to Finale NYC to fête the launch of eBay and the CFDA’s 2013 You Can’t Fake Fashion tote collection. Marking the pair’s third collaborative effort to fight counterfeits and support authentic design, the new range features 90 one-of-a-kind canvas tote bags that have been customized by designers like Prabal Gurung (above, center), Pamela Love, Band of Outsiders’ Scott Sternberg (above, right), and Rodarte’s Kate and Laura Mulleavy (above, left). The designer-embellished bags are available for purchase via eBay auction through March 25 for a starting price of $100. The initiative is also offering a new standard tote for a “buy it now” price of $50. Proceeds will go toward combating fakes.
“As artists, we work so hard to create something, and then it gets knocked off,” said Rebecca Minkoff. “This is a great platform to ensure authenticity.” Carly Cushnie of Cushnie et Ochs concurs, and suggested that there’s security in knowing her and her design partner Michelle Ochs’ work is protected. “The CFDA has a voice that brings everyone together to preserve design integrity,” she said.
In addition to the likes of CFDA CEO Steven Kolb, Jeffrey Costello, Robert Tagliapietra, and Rebecca Taylor, Ruffian’s Brian Wolk and Claude Morais turned up to rally for the cause. And, according to Morais, they have a particularly special relationship with eBay. “We’re always using the site as a reference point. Right now it’s all about the 1920s and the hunt for the perfect embroidered dress.” We’re sensing a Jazz Age vibe for the team’s Spring ’14.
Prabal Gurung’s Tall Fall ’13
Prabal Gurung will unveil his Fall ’13 collection tomorrow, and for the second season, he has teamed up with Italian footwear house Casadei to create some custom kicks to complement his wares. Gurung revealed that his Fall range has a strong military theme, and, naturally, the shoes will follow suit. “We pulled the gold hardware from the clothes down to the shoes. We also mixed tonal textures throughout the collection, which you can see being used on the footwear, too,” said the designer, noting that he wanted to make “utilitarian, masculine footwear feminine and sexy.” Designer Cesare Casadei explained that the shoes are all crafted in Italy from calfskin, patent, and croc-embossed leather. “I took elements from the military wardrobe, like linear knee-high boots with gold straps and buckles, and interpreted these details in extremely feminine styles,” Casadei told Style.com. Indeed, with their tassels and no-nonsense metal closures, the shoes have a vintage combat-ready aesthetic. However, if the heels are as high as they look in the exclusive sketches the designers sent us (above), we imagine Gurung’s Fall soldiers will be charging down tomorrow’s runway very, very carefully.