Walk Like a Girl - by Prabal Gurung (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A moving, inspiring memoir from a leading voice in fashion about owning who you are, taking up space, and being seen in a world that doesn't want to recognize you for who you are. So many people think of fashion as superficial, or artifice. For Prabal Gurung, it is a direct expression of who he is. His path to becoming a successful, celebrated fashion designer who has dressed the world's most powerful women-from Oprah Winfrey to Michelle Obama to Kamala Harris-has never been easy: his very existence has always threatened the status quo. Walk Like a Girl is a memoir and manifesto about Prabal's journey from a childhood in Nepal where he was unrelentingly teased, bullied, and beaten for his innate femininity, to the consistent racism and sexism he encountered-and continues to encounter-as he rose up within the glossy world of New York high society and high fashion. No matter how brutally he was punished for being himself, Prabal always knew that the things people wanted to shame and beat out of him were very same things that made him special. This powerful and empowering memoir inspires readers to follow their instincts, celebrate what makes them different, and always question and challenge the status quo-and by doing so, redefine what it means. Walk Like a Girl is proof that you can take a taunt and turn it into a powerful life philosophy. It is also an invitation to be bold, to be colorful, to defy stereotypes, because you deserve to be seen"--

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

Praise for Walk Like a Girl

"Walk Like a Girl is the story of an artist's journey toward becoming, a story we do not know but must. A boy from Nepal fights violence, cruelty, and doubt, and through imagination, truth, and struggle, emerges as a designer of greater beauty, love, and power. Prabal Gurung went through a brilliant fire and came out refined, pure, and full of gold."
--Min Jin Lee, National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko

"A beautiful, honest, and poignant tale of a talented young man who had to fight, at every step, to turn his dreams into reality."
--Diane von Furstenberg

"Summoning a Gurkha-like strength but wrapped in a richly embellished sari, Prabal Gurung's memoir chronicles the extraordinary and unlikely story of a Nepali boy who walked like a girl and fought his way onto the runways, magazine covers, and galas of American and European high fashion--while never forgetting his roots. One of the most prolific designers of our time, Gurung has a deep reverence for the divine and mighty feminine, which shines boldly through his exquisite dresses and his powerful words."
--Lisa Ling

About the Author

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.