America is in a state of unrest that can make things like award shows and fashion feel frivolous and tone-death. It's in this atmosphere that designer Prabal Gurung presented his new collection at New York Fashion Week. The runway show unfolded like any other, showcasing Gurung's distinctive silhouettes, but ended by making an overt political statement. Models including Bella Hadid and Candice Huffine donned t-shirts whose messages ranged from "The Future Is Female" to "Stronger Than Fear" and "Nevertheless She Persisted," while some of the closing looks were completed by the Planned Parenthood buttons that designers were encouraged to include during NYFW.
In a backstage statement to WWD, Gurung said, "Fashion and politics can no longer be mutually exclusive. We have to be able to be aware of the audience that we have and the platform that we have. The good old days of being fabulous are over. Fashion can no longer be an escape. We need to be alive and awake.”
