"Believe me, they re not looking for bikinis," says Prabal Gurung of his ICB girl, a city dweller who considers Resort a "buy now, wear now" type of investment. Since the first shipment drops before the end of the year, Gurung focused on punchy day-wardrobe additions that jibe with the rest of his customer s closet, from a sleek menswear-inspired overcoat in true red to a pair of navy-and-green silk track pants tapered to a sleek effect.
The look is very city, and hovers on the masculine-feminine line without wavering too far either way. A red blouse trimmed in a tribal print is softened by subtle ruffles, while a black leather pleated skirt gives a patchwork field coat the right kind of feminine edge.
"It s versatile stuff, but just enough detail to be special," says Gurung. What is particularly special are the techy prints, inspired in a roundabout way by Solange Knowles "Losing You" video, in that it made the designer think about South Africa, and the colors of Cape Town in particular. (One print is a riff on wallpaper from a random house in the city.)
Gurung s goal is to make ICB a strong enough brand to stand on its own without having to utter his name in the same breath, which is both ambitious and humble. Just a few seasons into the label s revival, it s got a real look, something many years-old brands still can t get right.
