EPISODE 86 - NORMA KAMALI

Norma Kamali has been in the fashion industry for over 50 years and is known for her innovative designs. She designed the Sleeping Bag Coat on a camping trip in the seventies, as well as multi-style jersey dresses. In 1973 her designs were referred to as ‘vintage of the future’ and are, in fact, part of her line today in washable, easy-care fabrics. Her swimwear has made a global influence for over forty years. The Parachute Collection is in several notable museums and is still evolving as part of her collection today. In 1980 Norma introduced her sweats collection that became the forerunner of what is today called Active and Athleisure Wear. In the mid-nineties she created the NK ‘try before you buy’ website and was the first designer to have a store on eBay. During this time, she continued her exploration of alternative, healthy lifestyle practices; a search that began after the loss of her dear friends to AIDS. After 9/11 Norma opened the Wellness Café; a curated collection of personal care and food products that support the immune system. The Wellness Café hosted talks and events featuring experts in the wellness arena. Teas, meditation, and classes were held every day at 6 pm. In 2007 Norma collaborated with Walmart in a three-year licensee partnership where she created a collection of timeless styles all $20 and under. According to Norma, this was one of the most inspired and exciting experiences of her career. As a result of the successful collection on Walmart.com, Norma was determined to transform her company to be exclusively e-commerce. Her current distribution network is to all major e-commerce players as well as a selection of specialty stores throughout America and Europe. In 2016 Norma Kamali received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the CFDA to add to her numerous awards from the fashion industry. In 2019 NORMALIFE was launched under the concept of a healthy lifestyle. NORMALIFE is democratic and inclusive for men and women of all ages, skin color, and type. The first launch was a skin line of timeless, safe ingredients and the packaging was developed with a sustainability focus. I AM INVINCIBLE, Norma’s healthy lifestyle guide on aging with power, was released February 2021. Norma continues to live through her purpose in life of empowering women. https://normakamali.com/ https://www.instagram.com/normakamali/?hl=en