A Lunch Between Here and There

Prabal Gurung is a Nepalese American fashion designer who launched his eponymous collection in February 2009, characterised by modern luxury and indelible style. Born in Singapore and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, Gurung studied at Parsons The New School for Design in New York before working with Cynthia Rowley and serving as design director at Bill Blass for five years. His designs have been worn by leading figures including First Lady Michelle Obama and the Duchess of Cambridge. He has received numerous accolades, including the 2010 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award and the 2011 CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear. Gurung was appointed Global Creative Director of Tasaki in 2017 and named Honorary Designer of the National Portrait Gallery Celebration at the Smithsonian in 2019. In 2022, he was honoured as Designer of the Year at the American Image Awards and elected Vice Chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. A committed advocate for domestic manufacturing, Gurung produces over 80 per cent of his collection in New York to sustain quality standards and support the local community. His memoir, Walk Like a Girl, was published in May 2025 by Viking.

Prabal Gurung adalah seorang desainer fashion Nepali-Amerika yang meluncurkan koleksi eponymous-nya pada Februari 2009, ditandai dengan kemewahan modern dan gaya yang tak terlupakan. Dilahirkan di Singapura dan dibesarkan di Kathmandu, Nepal, Gurung belajar di Parsons The New School for Design di New York sebelum bekerja dengan Cynthia Rowley dan menjabat sebagai direktur desain di Bill Blass selama lima tahun. Desainnya telah dikenakan oleh tokoh-tokoh terkemuka termasuk First Lady Michelle Obama dan Duchess of Cambridge. Dia telah menerima berbagai penghargaan, termasuk Penghargaan CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund 2010 dan Penghargaan CFDA Swarovski untuk Womenswear 2011. Gurung diangkat sebagai Global Creative Director Tasaki pada 2017 dan dinamai Honorary Designer of the National Portrait Gallery Celebration di Smithsonian pada 2019. Pada 2022, dia dihormati sebagai Designer of the Year di American Image Awards dan terpilih sebagai Vice Chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Sebagai advokat yang berkomitmen terhadap manufaktur domestik, Gurung memproduksi lebih dari 80 persen koleksinya di New York untuk mempertahankan standar kualitas dan mendukung komunitas lokal. Memoarnya, Walk Like a Girl, diterbitkan pada Mei 2025 oleh Viking.

Bandana Tewari is an Indian culture journalist and sustainability advocate whose work explores compassionate fashion and conscious consumption. A TEDx speaker and writer, she has delivered keynote addresses worldwide on sustainability, spirituality, and Gandhi's philosophy in fashion, championing sartorial integrity. Her engagements span Berlin, Sydney, Muscat, Kolkata, Lagos, and Jakarta, amongst others. For 13 years, she served as Editor-at-Large at Vogue India, shaping influential fashion narratives with both immediacy and historical depth. A member of the prestigious BoF 500, she has written extensively for global publications on the contemporary fashion industry, indigenous craft economies and cultural sustainability.

Bandana Tewari adalah seorang jurnalis budaya asal India dan pegiat keberlanjutan yang karyanya menjelajahi mode yang penuh empati dan konsumsi yang penuh kesadaran. Sebagai pembicara TEDx dan penulis, ia telah menyampaikan pidato utama di berbagai belahan dunia mengenai keberlanjutan, spiritualitas, dan filosofi Gandhi dalam dunia mode, memperjuangkan integritas dalam berbusana. Keterlibatannya membentang dari Berlin, Sydney, Muscat, Kolkata, Lagos, hingga Jakarta, dan masih banyak lagi. Selama 13 tahun, ia menjabat sebagai Editor-at-Large di Vogue India, membentuk narasi mode yang berpengaruh dengan kepekaan terhadap isu terkini sekaligus kedalaman sejarah. Sebagai anggota BoF 500 yang bergengsi, ia telah banyak menulis untuk berbagai publikasi global mengenai industri mode kontemporer, ekonomi kerajinan masyarakat adat, dan keberlanjutan budaya.