Global Glory for NIFT Alumnus

Designer Prabal Gurung,an alumnus of Delhi’s National Institute of Fashion Technology,has been nominated for the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) awards,one of the world’s biggest honours in fashion. He has been nominated for the Swarovski Award for Womenswear along with French designer Joseph Altuzarra and American actress-designer duo Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

Gurung,in his thirties,was born in Singapore,grew up in Nepal and studied fashion in Delhi,where he worked with Manish Arora among others. In 1999,he began his career in New York,interning for Donna Karan while attending Parsons School of Design. When he did launch out on his own,Gurung’s collection won rave reviews from the international media who commented on his YSL-style classic design sensibility. Today,he counts Michelle Obama,Oprah Winfrey and Demi Moore among his clientele. In November,Gurung won the 2010 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund award. Will he be just as lucky this time around? The awards will be announced in Lincoln Center,New York,on June 6 this year.