CL, K-Pop's next great hope for a successful Western crossover act, wants her fans to know it's okay to be different.

In a fierce new PAPER shoot with Jeremy Scott — who has looked to Korean superstar CL as a muse for years since their first collaboration on 2NE1's "Fire" video — the two fashion fixtures took turns discussing their love for style (and each other!), their definition of luxury and CL's career as a global pop star.

"For me, the things that are luxurious are things that are rare. It's not really about how much something costs or whether it's 'limited edition'; it's about how special it is," Scott explained when asked for his personal definition of "luxury." Later in the interview, CL further touched on the subject based on her own personal experience: "Girls in Asia are very obedient, shy, timid, quiet, but I can tell that it's changing, and I want them to be stronger and tell them that it's OK to be different. Being special is a luxury, and I don't think we have that. Yet," she admits.

With her striking, bold looks on and off-stage (did you catch her on the red carpet as Jeremy Scott's date at the VMAs on Sunday?), CL's hoping to shift the status quo.

"I think a lot of the young kids right now are looking for something new, and they want to look different. Especially girls, and this is why I'm trying to come out here — to set an example of an Asian girl. A lot of Asian girls love being basic because it's safe. But the thing is, a lot of my fans are those girls, and they want to be bolder, but there's no one they could look up to and be like, 'It's OK to be that way.'

Aside from her recent Diplo collaboration "Doctor Pepper," CL's official English-language solo debut is expected to arrive stateside any day now. (And that day cannot come soon enough.)

Make sure to check out the full interview at PAPER.

See some of the 2015 Video Music Awards' boldest outfits:

More From PopCrush