Making a style statement

International fashion magazines are more aspirational than inspirational because they’re often devoid of faces we can identify with. But the ad campaign for acclaimed designer Prabal Gurung’s Fall 2018 collection, aptly titled Stronger in Colour, gives us a lot to look forward to. The campaign champions diversity as it not only features models from various Asian countries but it was also shot with a predominantly Asian crew.

Says the Nepalese-American designer, “My goal with this campaign is to represent and celebrate the diverse range of the pan-Asian region and to start a conversation about the power of visual representation, the challenges we face, and how we can overcome them.”

Prabal’s campaign comes as a breath of fresh air in the world for fashion, where adequate representation of racial diversity continues to be an issue. And the designer is the perfect person to birth it, given that he has never shied away from using the runway to take a stand on important issues. In the past, the designer has unhesitatingly shared his views on political hot potatoes including immigration, feminism, and workplace harassment, and he continues to be an advocate for body positivity.

The campaign features models from Nepal, Thailand, China, Korea and India

Talking about why inclusion and representation are issues that are close to his heart, Prabal says, “I’ve never seen someone who looks like me in the glossy pages of a magazine or on a Hollywood screen, and I have definitely never seen my ethnicity portrayed in a desirable or glamorous way. With this campaign, I want to change that notion, not just for myself, but for the next generation.”

The designer, who has dressed some of the world’s most powerful women including former FLOTUS Michelle Obama, talented actresses Helen Mirren and Issa Rae, and whose creations are a hit among style-conscious Indian celebs like Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, says that he has found inspiration in the “strong and vigilant women” he saw and was raised by in Nepal, India, and across the greater pan-Asian region. And it is these heroes that he wants to honour and celebrate.

Using a large dinner table as an analogy for the fashion world, the designer explains that everyone should be invited to join the meal. “Representation in front of the camera is important – it’s the first touch point a viewer has with a story. And it is equally important that we give a seat at the table to minority talents that are working to bring our story to life. The importance of giving an opportunity to minority photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists is often overlooked,” he rues.

A still from the campaign

To right this wrong, Prabal and the art director of his campaign, David Moran, roped in a stylist and photographer from South Korea, a makeup artist from Thailand and a hair stylist from India. This was in addition to the cast of models that featured Varsha Thapa (Nepal), Kanta (Thailand), He Cong (China), Hyun Ji (Korea) and Diya (Singapore and India) as the faces of the campaign. “This is the world I want to live in – a robust, diverse, colourful place where everyone has a seat at the table,” insists the designer.

For greater visibility, Prabal turned to the most democratic space available to creators – social media. When published on Instagram, his campaign became an instant taking point among fashionistas. We ask him about the role of the web in promoting diversity, and he says, “The web space and digital media are completely transforming things. The rise of digital media has given voice to a new authority. No longer are a few publications or figureheads the authority figures. Now, everyone has a platform and place to express themselves and their views. I absolutely love what this does.”

A still from the campaign

However, the designer feels that a single campaign isn’t enough; there’s a lot more that needs to be done at a collective level. “In the fashion industry, I do see the tides changing. However, it has been an incredibly slow transition, and there is still a lot of work to be done,” Prabal says.

The designer also points out how, the spotlight often rests on a single issue, which then recedes into oblivion when a new one emerges. “The industry still tends to focus on celebrating and including one group at a time – first black people, then plus size models, and so on. This format does lead to tokenism, casting that feels like it’s done to fill a quota. However, there are many of us working to combat this, to really highlight each and every person that’s in front of the camera, behind the scenes, and on the runway,” he concludes.