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Prabal Gurung on Runway Diversity: ‘Cute Is Cute’

Prabal Gurung.
Prabal Gurung. Photo: J Grassi/Patrick McMullan

“Wait, did you get your crown?” Prabal Gurung asked us at his after party at Up & Down last night. “I’m going to give you one.” He’s distributing them to guests as a wink to the crown-wearing streaker who interrupted his show on Saturday. “Sometimes shit happens,” he said. He approached our question about runway diversity is it improving? — in a similarly matter-of-fact way: “I always say, cute is cute. Whether you’re white, Asian, black — if you’re cute, you’re cute. I see no discrimination and I’ve never been like that. When I use a black model it’s not because I want to make a statement. It’s because I think they’re beautiful.” (His first-ever print ad features Ethiopian model Liya Kebede.) “It’s everyone’ responsibility, whether it’s the designer, stylists, writers, editors, to understand that beauty is universal. Come on — it’s 2014.”

Prabal on Runway Diversity: ‘Cute Is Cute’