Exclusive: Prabal Gurung Launches Jewelry

Prabal Gurung opened his Spring 2016 show at New York Fashion Week with a tribute to his native Nepal, which suffered a devastating earthquake earlier this year. Nepalese monks chanted for several minutes before clearing the stage to make room for models, clad in floaty silk dresses in shades of yellow, orange, and white.

The drama of the show upstaged one detail: Gurung debuted his first fine jewelry collection on the runway. Designed in collaboration with Berlin-based jewelry brand VOJD Studios, the striking, geometric pieces were inspired by his childhood memories of Nepal as well as his current life in New York. “I wanted to take a clean approach to traditional jewelry,” Gurung explained backstage, holding several of the pieces in his hands. “If you look closely, you can see the hand carvings have a modern twist.” That twist comes courtesy of a 3D printer, which allowed Gurung to create a sleek, simple shape before casting the pieces in sterling silver. “It’s a perfect blend of east and west,” he said of the collection. “I remember my mother putting on her jewelry when I was growing up. It’s such a ceremonial process that’s the same for women all over the world.”

This collaboration comes on the heels of the fashion designer’s new makeup collection with MAC Cosmetics, and both were conceived with the sane goal: making women feel beautiful. “I believe in the strength that comes with embracing femininity. I believe in strong women of substance, and want to help them feel beautiful, empowered and confident,” he said. “And this is just another little part of that.”

Even better? The pieces are now available for pre-order on modaoperandi.com.