Whoopi Goldberg reviews Prabal Gurung FW18
Whoopi Goldberg has never been one to chase trends, and in character has worn everything from a nun’s habit to doctor’s scrubs, but in recent years Goldberg has been recharging the battery of fashion by becoming an unexpected style icon.
Dressing down in brands like Vetements and being spotted amongst the throngs of fashion’s elite on the front rows of shows for Chromat, Marc Jacobs and Christian Siriano, she’s ideally situated to offer an authoritative opinion on the looks on parade throughout NYFW. And with her acerbic wit, we couldn’t resist asking her thoughts.
Throughout NYFW, Goldberg will be reviewing a handful of select FW18 shows. Here, she spills her thoughts about Prabal Gurung’s FW18 collection—a feminist missive that took inspiration from India’s activist Gulabi Gang and the Mosuo tribe of China, a year after he sent “This is what a feminist looks like” tees down the runway.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: The Prabal Gurung show was beautiful. The clothes were very peaceful—the whole thing, from the sand paintings to everyone walking. It didn’t feel kinetic. It felt very peaceful. I think that has a lot to do with the colors and the whole vibe that he put together. The collection was very female-centric. It just felt strong, but peaceful.
A lot of folks were making bolder, clearer statements last season, like Prabal Gurung with his “This is what a feminist looks like” T-shirts. But now you don’t need to make them, you can be subtler now. This [collection] was like, “Yeah, okay. We’re in charge here.” That’s what I really liked about it. It felt like chicks in charge.
I love seeing Ashley Graham walk in shows because I feel like if Ashley is there, it means that regular women can probably wear the clothes. If a designer thinks enough to have Ashley walking in the show, it’s great. And the Hadid girls—who are very beautiful—it was nice to see them but I’m kind of looking for that thing that says: “Everyone is welcome to my clothing.”
I went back and saw Prabal before the show. He was showing us the palette that he used in the collection. I loved it, I just loved it. They are colors that will work really on anybody, which is not really normal to me. But there were colors there that I would never normally wear and I thought, “Oh, I could be in there. I could do that.” And then looking at my granddaughter who was with me and her friends and thinking, “Oh, there’s clothes here for you too.” So the vibe was really inclusive.
If I went out more, I could wear them everywhere. But I go to work everyday. But if I were going to start doing a little bit of late night dining and clubbing—which, I just can’t do it. I really like sitting on my behind. But I loved what I saw, just for the reason.
It’s all there, it’s all there for me if I just go looking for it. I ain’t your mother’s Lane Bryant. This is a whole new world.
