Runway Review: Prabal Gurung Spring 2014

It's day 3 of New York Fashion Week and I've experienced my first awe moment courtesy of Prabal Gurung. Having been absolutely in love with his last show (military inspired), I expected a strong collection, but what I've just seen completely blew my mind.

I believe that women that Prabal Gurung makes clothes for are the epitome of power (even when wearing feathers), except this time the end product was more toned down and slightly less in-your-face. Let's just put it like this - his warriors from last season switched their parkas for satin opera coats, all the while not losing a bit of their strength and sensuality.

As well as basically any designer whose show we've seen this week, Gurung decided to open his show with a few crisp white exits. What was noticable instantly was the architectural element he incorporated into every single piece (that was definitely missing at some other shows, in my opinion). A shirt with oversized short sleeves was particularly perfect. It gave the torso a trapese-like shape, while at the same time managed not to look gimicky.

Another great thing about the collection were the interesting prints. The "doomed rose" print (I coined that, FYI) was juxtaposed with abstracts of deserts at sundown (I might be very wrong about that) which gave the pieces a great Prada vibe (I mean that as a giant compliment).

The most ladylike pieces were done in shiny satin and silk. To make the skirt suits and dresses look less dainty and more fierce, Prabal put his tailoring skills to good use and, as a result, we were given bomber jackets (LOVE the contrast!) paired with long pencil skirts. So cool.

The colors he used were exquisite pastels, such as blush pink, lavender and pistachio green. As the show progressed, stronger colors emerged, such as blood red and neon yellow. The fabrics also got edgier - think plastic coats and skirts.

Cocktail dresses that came at the end of the show were home runs. Done in pastel tones and very sexy, body-con cuts, they are sure to become favorites among stylish women worldwide.

Now let's take a few minutes and talk about the eveningwear presented...one word - stunning and, dare I say, demi-couture. A particularly gorgeous dress in my mind was an architectural masterpiece - strapless with an embroidered black bodice and white satin skirt. The matching belt went all the way across the model's back and tied ever so lightly and gently around her neck to make her look like the most amazing fashion present.

It is such a delight to follow a career in fashion like Prabal Gurung's who just keeps getting better season after season.

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Photos from Style.com