Prabal Gurung Sends Flowers from Kathmandu

Prabal Gurung released his banging Spring 2012 video yesterday, starring IMG supermodel Candice Swanepoel, who is also featured in his print campaign. Daniel Jackson photographed both the print and video images, which are delicate, complex and subversive; Swanepoel resembles an exquisitely broken ballerina. The video, a surreal depiction of Gurung’s critically acclaimed collection, can be viewed here.

Since Fashion Week in February, Gurung has dressed Lady GaGa, Kate Bosworth, Jaime King, and Jennifer Lawrence for her Hunger Games premiere (nabbing him a rare “Best Look” sweep on Fashion Police).  In March, he debuted his first fall collection for ICB in Tokyo (First Daughter Malia Obama wore one of the 32 looks to the Kids Choice Awards on Sunday).  And while visiting family in his native Nepal this month, Gurung hiked to Mt. Everest base camp, hosted a screening of the documentary Bully, has been visited by DVF and tweeted 200 of the most exotic vacation photos imaginable, from the Himalayas to the monasteries of Bhaktapur.

Interview caught up today with Gurung, who is currently on holiday in Kathmandu:

CWELICH:  Tell me about the making of the video.

GURUNG:  Technology has given us so many innovative tools; motion has become vital in expressing one’s point of view.  We knew very early on in when discussing the creative for the spring campaign that we wanted a video component.  The collection was inspired by Nobuyashi Araki’s ‘Sensual Flowers’ photographic series.  There is so much depth and so many layers to his work and I was particularly attracted to the beautifully sensual undertone seen throughout.  I wanted the video to tell the story of the spring collection and have an almost hypnotic and mesmerizing effect.

CWELICH:  Are you designing your resort collection while on holiday?

GURUNG:  Yes, it is almost done.

CWELICH:  How was the experience of debuting your ICB collection in Tokyo?

GURUNG:  It was received with such warmth, love and support.  It was my first time in Tokyo and what a way to see that city.  I hope to return.

CWELICH:  Tell me about Diane von Furstenberg’s visit.

GURUNG:  We had an incredible time exploring Nepal. Seeing Nepal through her eyes is intensely refreshing.  We have experienced so many corners of Nepal—the ancient museums and palace squares that were built in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Buddhist monasteries where not only did we feel at peace but also mesmerized by the hand-painted murals; meeting pillars and shapers for the modern day Nepal, entertaining journalists, politicians and ambassadors at the dinner I hosted while she was here . . . it has been unforgettable.  Everyone here absolutely loved meeting her and she was able to witness, as you can see from her tweets, the passion, pride, empathy, tolerance and mystical qualities of us Nepalese people. She is truly a woman of the world.

CWELICH:  What was the most inspiring part of your trip creatively, in terms of how you foresee it impacting your next collection?

GURUNG:  The sources of inspiration from my travels have been unending.  You will have to wait and see exactly how everything has inspired.