Norma Kamali

Norma Kamali – fashion legend.

In the fashion industry, everybody is claiming to be on the cutting edge and a trendsetter, although few are genuinely creative. Norma Kamali is among these few talented fashion designers who are keeping the industry moving forward. Norma is a self-made designer and fashion veteran who never gets tired of breaking the rules. Her designer label expresses best her uncanny desire to innovate, and, caters for the tastes of many independent women.

Norma Kamali is now a New York-based legendary fashion designer who started from bottom up. Born in 1945 in a family of modest means, Norma never considered in her early years to become involved in fashion. She gives an interesting account of her years before becoming a fashion prodigy. “I wanted to be a painter, but my mother kept telling me it would never pay the rent. So I got a scholarship to F.I.T. and studied illustration instead. But the only illustration jobs were at stupid companies, doing stupid things like drawing eyelashes on faces. I thought I’d rather die! There was no way I was going to have anything to do with the fashion industry. But I knew that I wanted to travel, so I got a job in the office of an airline, which allowed me to get discount tickets. I ended up going to London every weekend from 1965 to 1967 for twenty-nine dollars round trip.”

And it was the swinging London lifestyle that made Norma Kamali plunge head first into the controversial world of fashion. Inspired by the modern, yet shocking European look, she was determined to bring fashion innovation on the streets of America. And so it was in 1968 where Norma opened her first fashion store in New York at 229 East 53rd Street. It was a small basement shop that featured mostly garments from popular British designers. Kamali’s shop became instantly famous among the fashion elite in New York. With her boutique gaining so much attention, she boldly ventured to launch the Norma Kamali label. The collection was such a hit that Norma was forced to expand her store and, in 1974, to move it to Madison Avenue.

Parachute Victorian Jacket from the modern silk parachute collection.

The year 1978 was extremely important for Norma’s career. She designed the costumes for the citizens of the Emerald City (the film version of the musical The Wiz), divorced her husband, launched a new fashion boutique, and started her OMO (standing for On My Own) clothing line. Norma’s contribution to the fashion industry is highly appreciated. She has received a large number of awards for fashion design, architectural design, interior design and community service. Norma Kamali also was one of the first to receive a plate on New York’s 7th Avenue Fashion Walk of Fame.

In their long existence, Norma Kamali collections has introduced fashion lovers with many new and revolutionary outfits, like the sleeping bag coat (1975), the (in)famous garments made from actual silk parachutes (included in the Vanity Fair Exhibition at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art), high heeled sneakers, and the versatile poly jersey apparel.

Norma Kamali designs have the unique quality of remaining timeless. So, buying Norma Kamali outfits is like collecting valuable art – you never get it wrong. Try now some Norma Kamali fashion items at DJPremium or other online stores.