Prabal Gurung doesn’t just dress women for style. Having designed fashions for an eclectic and star-studded clientele that includes the likes of Michelle Obama and Sarah Jessica Parker, his clothes highlight powerful inner beauty as well.

“The women I like dressing always have to have a strength of mind and real character,” he explained to Vogue. “It’s about the content of their heart and mind.”

Born in Singapore and raised in Kathmandu, Gurung is now based in New York, where his eponymous label opened its first retail location in 2018.

“My style is very representative of my ethos and beliefs,” he tells us. “It is colorful, easy, and I like wear pieces made by talented artisans to support their craft. We produce our knitwear in Nepal and on our most recent collection, we worked with Dhimali women to hand embroider organic cotton. I’m currently living in those pants!

To better understand Gurung’s work and creative process, we sat down with the designer to learn more about the people, places, and things that most inspire him—including his favorite works of art from the artnet Gallery Network.

Prabal’s Favorite Things

Museum: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Restaurants: Cafe Clover, Omen, Indochine, Yak, and Baar Baar

Artists: Cecily Brown, Mark Bradford, Jordan Casteel, William Kentridge, and Elizabeth Peyton

Gifts: My niece and nephew

Books: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy

Cities: Kathmandu, New York, Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, London, and Mumbai

Self-care routines: Swimming and meditation

Pieces of clothing: A white t-shirt and our tie-dye cashmere hoodie, made with love by our artisans in my home country of Nepal

Prabal’s Selections of Artworks from the artnet Gallery Network

Alphabet and Pearls (2018)

Caitlin Keogh

Caitlin Keogh, Alphabet and Pearls (2018). Courtesy of Bortolami.

Untitled (2006)

Christopher Wool

Christopher Wool, Untitled (2006). Courtesy of Simon Lee Gallery.

Non-Alignment Pact (2015)

Richard Mosse

Richard Mosse, Non-Alignment Pact (2015). Courtesy Jack Shainman Gallery.

The Last Shipwreck (2018)

Cecily Brown

Cecily Brown, The Last Shipwreck (2018). Courtesy of Frank Fluegel.

Xa Xa Xa (2010) 

William Kentridge

William Kentridge, Xa Xa Xa (2010). Courtesy of Kewenig Galerie.

Couples (2001)

Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois, Couples (2001). Courtesy of Galerie Boisseree.

Find your own favorites by browsing artnet Galleries and finding the next addition to your collection.