Prabal Gurung’s Virtual Fashion Show

Prabal Gurung for ICB, fall 2012.

Prabal Gurung showed his new collection for ICB today, not at Lincoln Center or some far-flung warehouse in Chelsea, but on my computer. Mr. Gurung is something of a guinea pig in a new venture by the public relations firm KCD, in which it is trying to persuade some designers to stage their shows only online.

Prabal Gurung for ICB, fall 2012.

Editors were invited to look at the show on a password-protected site starting at 11:30 a.m., and I am delighted to report that it started right on time. There is a video of Mr. Gurung talking about his inspiration, without really saying anything at all, which is pretty much what most designers do backstage after their shows.

Fast Fashion

Eric Wilson’s posts on the runway shows.

“I would say an inspiring combination of beauty, intelligence and a little sense of humor is what an ICB girl is all about,” he says.

Too bad, all of you unattractive, dim-witted, sobersided girls.

Prabal Gurung for ICB, fall 2012.

Next, we turn to the collection, which is shown in a six-minute video showing models walking on a white runway, switching from full-length angles to close-ups on the handbags. It’s a colorful collection of fun, professional looking work wear and daytime dresses, like an orange stretch-wool shift with slashes cut diagonally across the dress. There’s a great big chartreuse wool cape with a cool smocked back yoke, a mixed-tweed mini-skirt that resembles one Mr. Gurung has designed in his signature line, and a groovy print of melting hibiscus-colored lace on a blouse and a shirtdress.

There is also a segment discussing the beauty products and hairstyle techniques used on the models, which might be a little too much information.

When KCD announced the new venture, which the agency hopes will someday alleviate the congestion of runway shows on the Fashion Week calendar, I wondered if it would be a fair representation of clothes. So last week, I went to see the collection in ICB’s showroom, and, in the end, I think that the still images and video on the KCD site seem to be as accurate as can be expected.