Prabal Gurung facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prabal Gurung
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| प्रवल गुरुङ | |
Gurung in 2025
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| Born | 1974 (age 50–51) Singapore
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | National Institute of Fashion Technology Parsons School of Design |
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Label(s)
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Prabal Gurung |
Prabal Gurung (born in 1974) is a famous Nepalese American fashion designer who lives and works in New York City. He is known for creating beautiful and stylish clothing.
In 2009, he started his own fashion brand named after himself, Prabal Gurung. He is also the creative director for a Japanese jewelry company called Tasaki. Gurung is a co-founder of the House of Slay, a group that celebrates Asian culture and creativity. He is also the vice chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), an important organization in the fashion world. In May 2025, he released his book, Walk Like a Girl.
Contents
Early Life and Journey to Fashion
Prabal Gurung was born in Singapore to parents from Nepal. He grew up in the city of Kathmandu, Nepal. His mother, Durga Rana, owned a clothing store, and his older sister, Kumudini Shrestha, is a teacher.
Gurung went to St. Xavier's School, a Jesuit school in Nepal. At first, he studied hotel management. But he was always fascinated by clothes and colors. His interest in fashion grew when he moved to New Delhi, India. There, he studied at the National Institute of Fashion Technology.
In India, Gurung trained with local fashion designers, including Manish Arora. He was inspired by everything from Bollywood movies to the colorful fabrics and textures he saw in the markets.
After his time in India, Gurung traveled to Australia and England. He helped stylists and editors with fashion shows and photo shoots. In 1999, he moved to New York City to study at the famous Parsons School of Design.
Career in Fashion
Working with Top Designers
While studying at Parsons, Gurung got a chance to work as an intern for the famous designer Donna Karan. Later, he worked for two years with designer Cynthia Rowley. In 2004, he became the design director for the fashion brand Bill Blass, where he worked for five years.
Starting His Own Brand
In February 2009, Gurung launched his own brand, PRABAL GURUNG, at New York Fashion Week. His brand quickly became famous for its stunning gowns and dresses.
Many famous people love to wear his designs. These include former First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, and stars like Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Anne Hathaway.
His clothing collections are often inspired by different cultures and ideas. Some of his inspirations have included the famous designer Yves Saint Laurent and the character Miss Havisham from the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
Working with Other Brands
Gurung has also worked with other well-known companies.
- In 2011, he was hired by Sephora to design new uniforms for all its employees in North America.
- He created special collections for the store Target in 2013.
- He worked with MAC Cosmetics on a makeup line in 2014.
- He designed a collection for the clothing brand Lane Bryant in 2017.
Helping Others
Gurung is also dedicated to helping people in his home country of Nepal. In 2012, he started the Shikshya Foundation in Nepal. It is a non-profit group that helps children from poor families get a good education. The foundation has helped over 60 students and also provides training for teachers.
He has also supported important causes like voter registration and the "Stop Asian Hate" campaign, which works to end racism against Asian people. After a major earthquake in Nepal in 2015, he created a fund that raised almost one million dollars to help the victims.
Awards and Recognition
Prabal Gurung has won many awards for his work in fashion.
- In 2010, he was a runner-up for the very important CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.
- In 2011, he won the CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear.
- He was a finalist for the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award in 2012.
- He received the Drawing Award from the Creativity Center in 2015.
Personal Life
Gurung lives in an apartment in New York City, near Washington Square Park.
See also
- List of Nepali people
- LGBT culture in New York City
- List of LGBT people from New York City
- NYC Pride March
