From acclaimed fashion designer Prabal Gurung comes a captivating, courageous literary memoir, a testament to the transformative power of creativity, and a celebration of the power of femininity and individuality
Walk Like a Girl is the story of a queer boy who yearned for a world beyond the confines of prejudice he experienced growing up in Nepal and India. He came to New York, a hopeful immigrant lured by the siren song of the American Dream, only to encounter pernicious discrimination as he rose within the glossy world of New York high society and high fashion. Chronicling his rise to success as a fashion designer, Prabal reveals the inner workings of this beautiful, treacherous, rarefied world—and what it takes to survive.
With brutal honesty, Prabal takes us on a journey from Nepal to New York, and from the harrowing experiences that shaped him to his inspiring, hard-won ascent to the designer he is today, dressing American icons like Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, and Kamala Harris.
Walk Like a Girl is also an ode to Prabal’s mother, Durga Rana, whose unwavering love and support gave him the courage to be unapologetically himself. To understand that the things people wanted to shame out of him were, paradoxically, his superpowers.
A defiant anthem for the soul, Walk Like a Girl is an invitation to rewrite your story. To shatter the mold into which society has tried to cast you. When we learn to embrace the power of vulnerability, the beauty of imperfection, and the infinite possibilities within each of us, we begin to see the extraordinary power within ourselves, waiting to be unleashed.
Prabal Gurung
Prabal Gurung is an award-winning fashion designer who has been at the forefront of American fashion since launching his eponymous label in 2009. He has been a relentless advocate for diversity, shattering beauty norms and championing inclusivity on the runway and beyond since the beginning of his career. His designs, a masterful blend of beauty, luxury, and edge, are as iconic as his commitment to social change. He is the co-vice chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a co-founder of the Shikshya Foundation Nepal, a non-profit organization creating a critical mass of leaders in Nepal, and a co-founder/board member of Gold House, a cultural ecosystem that empowers Asian Pacific leaders to power tomorrow for all. Prabal has written numerous op-eds and has been interviewed on major networks, leveraging his platform to address critical social issues, from racial injustice to gender equality, especially surrounding the Asian and Black diaspora. A true industry disruptor based in New York City for over two decades, he has become a prominent figure in the city's cultural and social landscape, and he is redefining the role of the fashion designer as a catalyst for positive change.
