"What a perfect way of making an entry for a designer, it would be a scene from Zoolander or something like that," he said.
But the launch of Melbourne's 30th fashion festival on Monday at the Royal Exhibition Building brought the glare of bright sunshine, and the New York designer encouraged photographers to use whatever filters necessary.
Gurung, who has more than a million Instagram followers under the tagline "Grace. Grit. Glamour. The power of enduring elegance." admitted to the fashionable crowd that he left his heart in Melbourne almost 25 years ago.
"It was an incredibly wonderful affair and it broke my heart, and I left some of the pieces here, so I think maybe I'm back here collecting it," he said.
The festival is marking its 30th year with a 15-day program of more than 100 events including a dozen "premium" runway shows, for which tickets start at about $100.
Gurung, who is the keynote speaker at the Australian fashion business lunch on Wednesday, Â said runway festivals are not just about clothes but community - a place where emerging talent might find support.
"In an industry that moves at lightning speed, that kind of platform is everything, I've always believed that fashion should not exist behind closed doors," he said.
"Only festivals like this, open, public, accessible, remind us that style is for everyone."
The festival's ticket sales grew by 32 per cent in 2025, and the event has so far seen double digit growth in 2026, said the festival's chief executive, Caroline Ralphsmith, who was wearing a white outfit by Brisbane designer Gail Sorronda.
"We're always a bit hesitant because so many of our tickets are sold in the days beforehand, so these next few days are really, really important, but the momentum is really strong," she said.
The Victorian government had increased its support for the festival, said Ralphsmith, while commercial sponsorships had also grown, following a difficult period after the COVID pandemic.
"To now be in a position to start to build back towards having a little nest egg to rely on in the future is a big relief," she said.
The festival opens with the Joywear runway on Monday night.
25°C