Wall Street Journal  February 3, 2009, 5:11 pmPrabal Gurung, Ex-Bill Blass Design Director, on Launching in a Recession This could well be the worst time in decades to be launching a new line of high-end clothing – but that isn’t stopping former Bill Blass design director Prabal Gurung from trying. Getty Images Prabal Gurung at the Bill Blass Spring 2008 Fashion Show. Mr. Gurung, who spent almost five years at Bill Blass before then-parent company NexCen Brands Inc. shuttered the label’s high-end division in December, is launching his own line of designer apparel and will be showing his first collection Feb. 12 at the FLAG Art Foundation gallery space in Chelsea. While Mr. Gurung says he isn’t going after the Bill Blass customer, the designer’s description of his target audience sounds awfully familiar: “There’s not a contemporary feel to it—these are investment pieces: beautiful cashmere coats, amazingly well-made dresses that are going to last you forever,” Mr. Gurung says. Retail prices for blouses will start at $400 and dresses will retail for $900 to $4,000, he says, adding, “I’m going after the lady who wants to look beautiful and wear her clothes rather than have her clothes wearing her.” Mr. Gurung says his strategy for debuting a new line during a recession is to keep things small—his self-funded first collection will feature only 20 looks, about half the number that many designers show per season. And while he is hoping for high-end stores to pick up the line, he says he’s hoping to keep distribution small at the beginning, selling to a few select stores and fashion-forward retailers like Net-a-Porter or Manhattan boutique Kirna Zabete. And, of course, Mr. Gurung is hoping to attract investors. Prabal Gurung A sketch of looks from Prabal Gurung’s Fall 2009 collection. “Controlled distribution is my mantra—I’m in no rush to be the next big thing,” says Mr. Gurung, who designed for Cynthia Rowley before joining Blass. While at Blass, he filled in as chief designer of the Spring 2008 collection before Peter Som took over as creative director. (Peacock International Holdings LLC, the New York shirt and tie manufacturer that in December purchased the worldwide rights to the Blass name and about 20 of its license businesses for $10 million, hopes to revive the high-end line by the end of the year. Mr. Gurung says he has not been contacted by Peacock about designing the line and is instead focused on launching his own label.) For his first collection, Mr. Gurung says he’s targeting wealthy women who don’t mind paying more for items that are made with expensive fabrics or have unusual design details. Fabrics he’s currently using include super-soft Italian double-faced cashmere and a type of satin that has woven-in horse hair, he says. “The rich are still spending a lot,” he says, noting that his years at Blass taught him about catering to this crowd. “At Bill Blass, I learned the way clothes are supposed to be made—there are no shortcuts. Just well-made, well-finished clothes. That’s the kind of approach I’m taking– it’s not about being trendy.” – Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan Last edited: 15-Feb-09 07:59 PM