Fashion designer Prabal Gurung explains why Kamala Harris's pockets matter
In a Q interview, Gurung pays tribute to the women who made him the fashion designer he is today
Fashion designer Prabal Gurung has dressed some of the most famous women in the world — women like Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton, who understand that their clothes tell a story about who they are and what they stand for.
Female celebrities and public figures face near-constant scrutiny for their fashion choices, but he says there's one profession that's judged way more harshly than any other: politicians.
"The way female politicians and female leaders are scrutinized versus male [politicians] is completely different," Gurung tells Q's Tom Power in an interview. "I knew that early on. So my job was finding the right balance of who they are and making sure the clothes don't distract [from] their messaging. It's one of the most difficult things to do."
When Gurung had the chance to dress former U.S. vice-president Kamala Harris, he had to consider every detail of her outfit. If the shoulders of her suit were too wide, for instance, she might be considered "too strong." His job is to ensure his clients carry themselves well.
"The scrutiny is insane," he says. "Little things, like the pocket positioning of a pant and a jacket matters…. If you're wearing a jacket and the pocket is slightly above your waist, the way you put your hands in the pocket is going to be a different posture. Not only that, where you position the pocket can make a person look taller or shorter, wider or slimmer."
While Gurung doesn't want to reveal too much about the thought process behind Harris's outfits, he says the clothes must be flattering without being distracting.
"The shade of the ivory of that suit that she wore, you know, making sure it is the right ivory, that is not too stark white," he says. "Really, what I always ask everyone is, 'What do you want to feel?' … And that is what my job is, to make sure that I accomplish that."
Gurung has released a new memoir, Walk Like a Girl, which is out now.
The full interview with Prabal Gurung is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
Interview with Prabal Gurung produced by Vanessa Greco.
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