>> NOW TO THE WORLD OF FASHION AND AN EXAMPLE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.

FROM MICHELLE OBAMA TO KAMALA HARRIS AND THE PRINCESS OF WALES, PRABAL GURUNG HAS STRESSED ALL OF THEM.

HIS TALENT HAD HIM SKYROCKET TO HE FACED HIS CARBONATION BEING TOLD YOU DON'T LOOK AMERICAN.

HE DISCUSSES HIS NEW MEMOIR AND HOW FAR HE HAS COME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YEARBOOK, WALK LIKE A GIRL.

THE TITLE IS A PHRASE THAT WAS REALLY USED AS KIND OF A SLUR AGAINST YOU FOR SO LONG.

WHY PUT THIS AS THE TITLE OF THE BOOK?

WHAT DOES THE PHRASE MEAN TO YOU NOW?

>> WHEN I WAS GROWING UP SURROUNDED BY A REALLY STRONG MOTHER AND SISTER AND STRONG WOMEN OVERALL .

EVEN MY FAVORITE SUPERHERO WAS WONDER WOMAN.

I NEVER THOUGHT EMULATING WOMEN ARE THE WAY THEY WERE, THE COMPLEXITIES, WAS ANYTHING BAD.

IT WAS EMPOWERING.

WHEN I WENT TO THE REAL WORLD AND THE WAY IT WAS THROWN AT ME TO THE INTENTION BEHIND IT AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACT ABOUT IT, I FELT LIKE THE TERM WALK LIKE A GIRL WHICH IS USED PEJORATIVELY TO DEMEAN SOMEONE I WANTED TO TRANSFORM IT TO A TERM AND PHRASE OF POWER, COURAGE IT , AND EMPOWERMENT.

SIMPLY BECAUSE I BELIEVE TO WALK LIKE A GIRL IN THIS WORLD IS TO WALK THROUGH SOFTNESS AND DEFIANCE AND COMPLEXITIES AND COURAGE AND VULNERABILITY.

I FELT LIKE IT IS ALSO THIS WAY OF SAYING I BELONG HERE.

UNAPOLOGETICALLY LOVING YOURSELF AND OWNING YOUR SPACE AND HAVING THE HUMILITY TO BE CURIOUS AND UNDERSTAND BUT ALSO NOT SHRINKING ONESELF.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DO NOT NEED OUTWARD VALIDATION.

YOU ARE WORTHY ON YOUR OWN.

THE SPACE THAT YOU OCCUPY IS ENOUGH.

>> YOU START THIS BOOK WAS SOME PAINFUL PARTS OF YOUR CHILDHOOD GROWING UP IN NEPAL .

YOU KNEW YOU WERE DIFFERENT.

YOU ARE TRYING ON YOUR MOM'S LIPSTICK AND YOUR COUSIN'S STRESSES.

THIS , YOUR SIBLINGS AND YOUR OF YOU, BUT YOUR LARGER FAMILY AND COMMUNITY WAS NOT.

I WONDER, THEY DID NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND YOU.

GIVE US AN EXAMPLE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES?

>> I WANT TO SAY IT WAS SOMETHING SUBTLE, THEY WERE REALLY POINT BLANK MADE ME FEEL, SAY STUFF LIKE YOU ARE AT PNC.

YOU ARE THIS, YOU ARE A GIRL, YOU CRY LIKE A GIRL, WALK LIKE A GIRL, TALK LIKE A GIRL.

IT WAS SO CONFUSING.

FOR ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

IT WAS REALLY CONFUSING, BUT THEN WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE I DID NOT FIT INTO THIS MOLDED AND NARROW DESCRIPTION OF WHAT A BOY SHOULD LOOK LIKE, THAT REALLY BOTHERED.

WHAT WE KNOW IN THIS WORLD PEOPLE IN POWER OFTEN TIMES , THE MAJORITY CANNOT SEE ANYONE WHO IS DIFFERENT THAN THEM.

IT REALLY THREATENS THEIR OWN EXISTENCE.

MY EXISTENCE THAT WAS UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNABASHEDLY MYSELF REALLY BOTHERED THEM.

SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO WAS NOT, WHO LOOKED LIKE THEM SHOULD BE SHRINKING.

I WASN'T.

I REALLY FELT LIKE THE LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE I GOT FROM MY SIBLINGS AND MOTHER BACK HOME EMPOWERED ME TO HAVE A VOICE.

THEN IT TURNED IT INTO , YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL BEATINGS.

BULLYING'S.

WHEN I LOOK BACK AT IT THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF IT YOU CAN STILL HANDLE IT.

YOU LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF.

I DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE NEXT PUNCH WAS COMING AT ME, I DID NOT KNOW THAT.

YOU CAN TRAIN YOURSELF.

AS A MARGINALIZED PERSON ANYONE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

YOU ARE ALWAYS IN THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT MODE.

IT IS THE IMPACT AND FOLLY OF WORDS, THE NEGATIVE WORDS THAT COME AT YOU.

THE IMPACT OF IT, IT REALLY SINKS IN AND STAYS WITH YOU.

YOUR BODY REGISTERS IT.

THE PHYSICAL WOUNDS AND EVERYTHING CAN HEAL.

THAT IS WHAT I WAS REALLY INITIALLY NOT UNDERSTANDING.

IT STAYED WITH ME FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE I WAS, LIKE, I'M GOING TO WORK ON IT.

THE WORLD SAYS I DON'T FIT IN, I WILL DO MY OWN THING.

I USED TO TELL MY MOTHER, I KNOW MY WORTH.

THE WORLD JUST NEEDS TO CATCH UP TO IT.

I WAS A PRECOCIOUS CHILD, BUT THAT IS HOW I LOOK AT IT.

>> YOU GO THROUGH SCHOOL IN NEPAL AND INDIANA.

YOU COME TO NEW YORK.

YOU ARE LEARNING THE ROPES OF FASHION, INTERNING AND GOING OUT AT NIGHT.

YOU START REALIZING THERE IS A SENSE OF OTHERNESS.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

I DON'T EVEN THINK OF YOU AS ASIAN.

WHOEVER HURLED THE INSULT WOULD YOU KNOW I LOVE ASIANS.

I LOVE SUSHI, I LOVE INDIAN FOOD.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES SOMEBODY SAID TO ME , I'M NORMALLY NOT INTO ASIANS BUT YOU'RE ATTRACTIVE.

YOU ARE STILL AN OUTSIDER EVEN THOUGH RELATIVE TO THE PLACE YOU CAME FROM THIS IS PROBABLY A LIBERATING ENVIRONMENT, BUT HERE YOU ARE.

WHAT HAPPENED?

>> THAT IS THE COMPLEX STORY OF AMERICA.

AMERICA TO ME WAS A DREAM MADE IN TECHNICOLOR.

NEW YORK CITY WAS WHERE ALL MY HEROES WERE LIKE DEBBIE HARRY, MARK JACOBS, MADONNA.

YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THESE COLORFUL MISFITS.

WHEN I LOOKED, GOT A GLIMPSE OF NEW YORK THROUGH A FEW MAGAZINES ARE GLIMPSES THAT I SAW IT FELT LIKE HOME TO ME.

WHEN I ARRIVED HERE, AND LET'S NOT FORGET AMERICA HAS THIS INCREDIBLE PR PITCH ABOUT EVERYBODY IS WELCOME HERE.

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS VERY COMPLEX.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW THE RULES, THE LINES, AS LONG AS YOU ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HOW THEY BEHAVE OR HOW THEY LOOK.

THE MINUTE YOU ARE DIFFERENT YOU ARE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AWARE OF YOUR DIFFERENCE.

TO ME IT WAS REALLY BAFFLING.

IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE, WAIT A SECOND.

IS THIS OKAY FOR THEM TO SAY THIS.

THEN I REALIZED, I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISOLATED THING FOR ME.

IT IS EVERY PERSON OF COLOR.

EVERY MARGINALIZED PERSON WILL GO THROUGH THIS IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.

THERE SO MANY TIMES MY FRIENDS TELL ME INCIDENTS THAT THEY OPEN INDIAN FOOD AND PEOPLE I LIKE, WHAT'S THAT SMELL VERSUS WHAT'S THE FRAGRANCE.

IT'S WORDS.

WORDS HAVE POWER.

FROM A SMELL TO A FRAGRANCE GOES FROM TOLERANCE TO CELEBRATION.

ALL OF THAT STUFF MATTERED.

YOU COME HERE AND YOU REALIZE THE WORLD THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD BE COMPLETELY ACCEPTED IS NOT ACCEPTING ME.

BUT THEN I AM ALSO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE IN THIS COUNTRY IS WHERE YOU CAN QUESTION AND WRITE A BOOK LIKE THIS.

YOU CAN QUESTION THESE IDEAS AND NORMS THAT ARE SO PRECONCEIVED AND RUDEST -- ROOTED IN THE DEEP COLONIAL BELIEFS.

>> THERE'S AN IDEA THAT AMERICA HAS OF THE OVERNIGHT SUCCESS.

BY THE TIME YOU ARE PULLING OFF YOUR MAGICAL FIRST SHOW IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN ENTIRE VILLAGE, COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE HAD COLLECTED ALONG THE WAY.

YEARS AND YEARS OF DOING THE HARD WORK REALLY JUST CAME OUT IN BELIEF AND SUPPORT OF YOU.

I WONDER ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT WE HAVE, IT IS JUST THIS KIND OF MOMENT AND HE JUST ARRIVED AND IT JUST HAPPENED FOR HIM.

>> IT WAS ABSOLUTELY, AND I STARTED MY BRAND IT WAS DEEP IN A RECESSION, 2009.

BILL BLASS HAD CLOSED.

I WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB.

I WENT TO HEADHUNTERS AND THEY ALWAYS SAID HE'S NOT TALENTED ENOUGH NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH.

I WENT TO UNEMPLOYMENT.

THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF THIS COUNTRY.

THAT IS THE THING ABOUT AMERICA.

OPPORTUNITY IS JUST AN IDEA WAITING TO HAPPEN.

I HAD THIS IDEA AND I WENT TO UNEMPLOYMENT.

THAT GAVE ME THE STRENGTH.

I MOVED FROM A MASSIVE APARTMENT TO A TINY STUDIO IN THE EAST VILLAGE RIGHT IN FRONT OF HELLS ANGELS.

MY FRIENDS APARTMENT BECAME MY STUDIO.

MY SHOW SPACE.

EVERYONE CAME TOGETHER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME JUST TO SEE THIS COLLECTIVE FORCE OF PEOPLE COMING BECAUSE I HAD A BELIEF THAT I HAD A STORY TO TELL.

AS I SAID, MAYBE THE FACT THAT I COME FROM NEPAL AND INDIA, I DID NOT EXPECT EVERYTHING TO HAPPEN IN ONE GO.

I WAS VERY PATIENT ABOUT THE FACT THAT I AM OKAY WITH BUILDING IT SLOWLY AND SURELY.

IT THEN, LUCK HAD A DIFFERENT THING FOR ME .

I GOT ON THE COVER OF WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY AND IT TOOK OFF IMMEDIATELY.

TO BE HONEST I WAS HOPING FOR A LINE IN WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY TO BE MENTIONED IN MY COLLECTION .

I GOT THE COLOR AND THAT COMPLETELY CHANGED MY LIFE.

>> THERE IS AN EXCERPT IN THE BOOK ABOUT YOUR VISION BOARD THAT YOU SET OUT AS THE GOALS FOR YOURSELF.

IT SAYS STARTED BRAND, CHECK, GET IN A FEW STORIES, CHECK, DRESS OPERA, MICHELLE OBAMA, APPLY FOR A FOLKS FASHION FUND, WIN A FOLKS FASHION FUND, GO TO THE MET GALA , BECOME THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF CHANEL.

STARTED FOUNDATION.

WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I GUESS THIS IS THE QUESTION FOR ABSTRACT BE ON THE FASHION INDUSTRY, YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MOST OF WHAT IS ON THE LIST.

MY QUESTION IS NOT JUST WHAT IS YOUR NEXT VISION BOARD, BUT HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR WHY ?

>> IT IS SIMPLE.

MY MOTHER, STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE AND EVERYTHING THAT I DO SHE HAS BEEN MY MOST .

ANYTIME SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED I WILL CALL HER AND SAY, HEY MOM, THIS IS HAPPENING.

I AM CELEBRATING.

SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE WHO CELEBRATES WITH ME BUT ALSO SAYS, I STILL REMEMBER THE THING THAT CHANGED FOR ME WAS WHEN SHE SAID TO ME AFTER I DRESSED MICHELLE OBAMA, SHE SAID TO ME I AM GLAD THAT HAPPENED.

IT WAS HER IDEA.

SHE WAS THE ONE THAT PLANTED THE SEED OF DRESSING SOMEONE LIKE MICHELLE OBAMA BECAUSE SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS THE ONE THAT I WAS DESCRIBING IN THE WOMEN I WANTED TO DRESS.

THEN WHEN IT HAPPENED, SHE SAID TO ME, THE SUCCESS NO LONGER IS YOURS.

IT DOES NOT JUST BELONG TO YOU.

IT BELONGS TO THE COUNTRY, TO THE CONTINENT, EVERY MARGINALIZED PERSON.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT.

SO THAT IS THE FOUNDATION.

WE STARTED THAT, MY SIBLINGS AND MY FRIENDS.

IT CAME NOT BECAUSE I WANT TO BE MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY, THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT GOALS BUT MY THING WAS AM I MAKING SOMEONE FEEL SEEN THROUGH MY AM I MAKING EVEN ONE PERSON BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO TURN THE PAGES OF A MAGAZINE OR TURN ON THE TELEVISION, SEE EMPTY MIRRORS REFLECTING BACK AND NOTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU.

THAT RESONATES WITH YOU.

MY WHY IS LESS EGO DRIVEN BUT RATHER, HOW DO I SERVE THE COMMUNITY , THE PEOPLE AROUND ME AND EVEN FAR AWAY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT IS OUR JOB AS HUMANS.

WE ARE NOT LIVING JUST FOR OURSELVES.

WE ARE VESSELS FOR SERVITUDE AND SERVICE.

THAT IS WHAT I BELIEVE IN.

>> YOU'VE BEEN AN OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE FOR INCLUSIVITY, ADVERSITY, FASHION AND DESIGN.

YOU'VE BEEN ACTIVE IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND GOTTEN PUSHBACK FROM MEMBERS OF THE FASHION WORLD.

OH LOOK, THIS IS PRABAL LOOKING FOR MORE PUBLICITY.

AS YOU SEE THE REASON ADMINISTRATION ROLLBACKS ON SO MANY THINGS YOU HOLD DEAR, HOW DO YOU STAY ENGAGED, HOW DO YOU CONTINUE YOUR WORK?

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOUR PLACE OR YOUR RESPONSIBILITY?

>> I THINK FOR ANYONE WHO LOOKS LIKE ME OR DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE MAJORITY, OUR BIGGEST JOB IS TO MAKE SURE WE DO NOT GIVEN TO CITIZENS OF --CYNICISM.

WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRAUMA.

HAVE OPEN COMMUNICATION BUT SHOW UP UNAPOLOGETIC AS OURSELVES.

THE BIGGEST RESISTANCE TO THE PATRIARCHY OR THE MAJORITY, TO EVERYTHING OUT THERE THAT IS RESISTING OUR EXISTENCE IS SHOWING UP UNAPOLOGETICALLY, UNABASHEDLY OURSELVES.

THAT IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD THAT.

SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT THAT COLLECTION WHO GETS TO BE AN AMERICAN.

FIVE YEARS LATER WE STILL HAVE NOT HAD THAT CONVERSATION.

I THINK ABOUT THE PROMISE AND THE HOPE OF THE OBAMA YEARS.

HOW IT GAVE US HOPE AND THE THING ABOUT, AMERICA FORGETS WHAT HAPPENS HAS AN EFFECT ACROSS THE WORLD.

MY RUNWAY SHOWS, THE PEOPLE THAT I DRESS .

THE PEOPLE THAT I DRESS AND TAKE AS MY GUEST, IT'S VERY DIVERSE AND COLORFUL LIKE MY DINNER TABLE.

THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO SHOW SIMPLY BECAUSE IF IT IS POSSIBLE IN THE CONFINES OF MY HOUSE IT IS POSSIBLE IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

THESE INCREDIBLE, DIVERSE AND AMAZING PEOPLE.

THE MORE THAT WE SEE AS, THE WORLD SEES US, THE LESS AFRAID WE ARE OF EACH OTHER.

THAT IS HOW I LOOK AT IT.

GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WERE SAYING, IT'S FOR PUBLICITY OR THIS.

I ALWAYS SAY, FOR ME IT IS MY LIFE.

IT IS WHO I AM, IT'S BEEN MY EXISTENCE.

IT'S NOT JUST A MOMENT, IT'S A WE ALL EXIST.

>> YOU GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO SAY, I'M NOT JUST IN THIS FOR THE CLASS.

I'M TRYING TO TELL STORIES WITH TYPES OF CLOTHING AND THE FASHION I'M CREATING.

I WANT TO TELL ESPECIALLY THE STORIES OF NEPAL.

HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT STORIES TO TELL?

>> IT IS INSTINCT.

THE BEAUTY OF BEING A CREATIVE PERSON IS YOUR INSTINCT .

I FEEL LIKE WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONE IN OUR INSTINCTS.

NOT JUST THE THINGS THAT ARE BEAUTIFUL WHETHER IT IS PAINTINGS OR LISTENING TO MUSIC, IT IS ALSO POLITICAL STUFF.

I WILL NEVER FORGET WHEN I DID MY ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION IT WAS AFTER A MEETING WITH A POTENTIAL INVESTOR WHO ASKED ME WHAT THE BRAND STANDS FOR.

I SAID, I WANT TO CREATE A NEW AMERICANA.

AMERICANA HAS BEEN DICTATED BY THESE GREAT DESIGNERS LIKE DONNA KAREN, RALPH LAUREN, BUT THE AMERICA I SEE IS IMMENSELY AND AMAZINGLY COLORFUL.

I WANT TO BRING THAT TO THE FOREFRONT AND CREATE THAT NEW VERSION OF AMERICANA.

I WILL NEVER FORGET WHEN HE TURNED TO ME AND SAID, YOU DON'T LOOK AMERICAN.

HOW WILL YOU DEFINE AMERICAN?

I SAID, I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.

I PAY MY TAXES.

I MAKE MORE THAN 90% OF MY CLOTHING IN AMERICA.

I AM ENGAGED POLITICALLY AND CYNICALLY .

IT IS STILL NOT ENOUGH.

WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS, I'M NOT WHITE.

HE KEPT QUIET.

NEEDLESS TO SAY I DID NOT GET THAT INVESTMENT.

I REMEMBER GETTING IN THE CAB AND THINKING, WILL IT EVER BE ENOUGH?

THAT TRIGGERED ME TO DO A COLLECTION CALLED, WHO GETS TO ME AMERICAN --BE AMERICAN?

THAT INFORMED THE NEXT YEAR MET GALA.

SET IN THE NOTES, PRABAL GURUNG ASKED THIS IN THE RUNWAY SHOW AND WE ARE TRYING TO ANSWER IT.

NOT THAT I KNEW IT WOULD HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT.

I WAS JUST REACTING TO SOMETHING THAT FELT NOT RIGHT FOR ME.

THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT IT.

IN MY STORY FROM MY PART OF THE WORLD.

FOR THE LONGEST TIME WE'VE BEEN TOLD, EAST MEETS WEST.

THE WEST HAS TO MEET THE EAST NOW.

THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

EAST HAS DONE THE WORK.

THE WEST HAS TO DO THE WORK NOW.

>> THE MEMOIR IS CALLED WALK LIKE A GIRL.

AUTHOR AND FASHION DESIGNER PRABAL GURUNG , INC. YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT THIS MEANS A LOT.