NORMA KAMALI
Norma Kamali has always been known as an innovative designer who follows her own path.
A designer who has invented designs such as the Sleeping Bag Coat, a collection created from actual parachutes and packable, multi-use clothing, some of which can be worn up to 30 different ways. Her swimwear has influenced an entire industry each season since its launch in 1974. Her sweats collection acted as an influential force in launching the casual lifestyle way of dressing which is now seen around the world.
Many of her designs remain as popular today as from the time they were originally introduced leading to the phrase “timeless” being attached to nearly everything she does.
Kamali’s passion for creating new ideas remains as strong now as it was when she began designing over 40 years ago. She distributes her own line, OMO Made in the USA, to specialty stores around the world. Her website www.normakamali.com was launched in 1995 and offers all styles using a service called “Try Before You Buy.”
In 1985, Norma developed the first modern two-part fragrance for men and women. Shortly after, in 1993, she developed a no-foundation skin care collection for healthy glowing skin highlighting the eyes, lips and cheeks.
Her wellness collection incorporates fitness, health and beauty utilizing the wellness café in the flagship store as a place for “solutions.” Here you can find olive oils and homeopathic remedies and recipes centered solely on olive tree that hold true to Norma’s phrase “timeless.” Norma also has a series called “Conversations” that focuses on the different aspects of wellness in the world today and can be found on its own Hulu channel.
Combining new technology and fashion has been a fascination for Norma. The Norma Kamali iPhone app, introduced at her presentation “The Democratization of Fashion” in 2009, and the use of new Scanlife technology, allows customers to shop from her flagship store’s window and throughout the store by using 2D barcodes. Her social interaction can be read weekly on her Huffington Post blog.
With ScanLife technology, Kamali customers can scan the styles they want and their orders are then sent overnight as part of the “Try Before You Buy” service. This service allows the customers to have 48 hours to try their purchases in the comfort of their homes and to only keep what styles they love.
Continuing to leverage technology and making her designs more accessible, Norma was the first designer to create a virtual online store on eBay.
Norma has received numerous awards for fashion design, architecture design, interior design, the creation of fashion video short stories and community public service. She also has a plaque on the Fashion Walk of Fame.
• YouthFriends Award
• 2002 Fashion Walk Of Fame
• 1999 Pencil Award
• 2002 Entrepreneur Award
• Willow Award
• Woman’s History Month Award
• Fashion Outreach Style Award
• CFDA’s Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award
• 2001 Business Outreach Award
For the last 18 years, Norma has dedicated time in the New York City public schools working with students and sharing how to bring art and commerce together and establishing job opportunities for students who are artistic and creative.
Her efforts were recognized in May 2010, by the non-profit organization, Pencil. Norma was honored for her participation with Gramercy Arts High School and received the Pencil Partnership Award.
Norma recently received an honorary doctorate degree of fine arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) during their 2010 commencement ceremony.
In November 2010, she was honored as one of WWD’s “100 Designers Who Shaped Fashion.”
The red Norma Kamali swimsuit that helped make Farrah Fawcett a 1970’s icon was donated to the Smithsonian in February 2011.
A designer who has invented designs such as the Sleeping Bag Coat, a collection created from actual parachutes and packable, multi-use clothing, some of which can be worn up to 30 different ways. Her swimwear has influenced an entire industry each season since its launch in 1974. Her sweats collection acted as an influential force in launching the casual lifestyle way of dressing which is now seen around the world.
Many of her designs remain as popular today as from the time they were originally introduced leading to the phrase “timeless” being attached to nearly everything she does.
Kamali’s passion for creating new ideas remains as strong now as it was when she began designing over 40 years ago. She distributes her own line, OMO Made in the USA, to specialty stores around the world. Her website www.normakamali.com was launched in 1995 and offers all styles using a service called “Try Before You Buy.”
In 1985, Norma developed the first modern two-part fragrance for men and women. Shortly after, in 1993, she developed a no-foundation skin care collection for healthy glowing skin highlighting the eyes, lips and cheeks.
Her wellness collection incorporates fitness, health and beauty utilizing the wellness café in the flagship store as a place for “solutions.” Here you can find olive oils and homeopathic remedies and recipes centered solely on olive tree that hold true to Norma’s phrase “timeless.” Norma also has a series called “Conversations” that focuses on the different aspects of wellness in the world today and can be found on its own Hulu channel.
Combining new technology and fashion has been a fascination for Norma. The Norma Kamali iPhone app, introduced at her presentation “The Democratization of Fashion” in 2009, and the use of new Scanlife technology, allows customers to shop from her flagship store’s window and throughout the store by using 2D barcodes. Her social interaction can be read weekly on her Huffington Post blog.
With ScanLife technology, Kamali customers can scan the styles they want and their orders are then sent overnight as part of the “Try Before You Buy” service. This service allows the customers to have 48 hours to try their purchases in the comfort of their homes and to only keep what styles they love.
Continuing to leverage technology and making her designs more accessible, Norma was the first designer to create a virtual online store on eBay.
Norma has received numerous awards for fashion design, architecture design, interior design, the creation of fashion video short stories and community public service. She also has a plaque on the Fashion Walk of Fame.
• YouthFriends Award
• 2002 Fashion Walk Of Fame
• 1999 Pencil Award
• 2002 Entrepreneur Award
• Willow Award
• Woman’s History Month Award
• Fashion Outreach Style Award
• CFDA’s Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award
• 2001 Business Outreach Award
For the last 18 years, Norma has dedicated time in the New York City public schools working with students and sharing how to bring art and commerce together and establishing job opportunities for students who are artistic and creative.
Her efforts were recognized in May 2010, by the non-profit organization, Pencil. Norma was honored for her participation with Gramercy Arts High School and received the Pencil Partnership Award.
Norma recently received an honorary doctorate degree of fine arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) during their 2010 commencement ceremony.
In November 2010, she was honored as one of WWD’s “100 Designers Who Shaped Fashion.”
The red Norma Kamali swimsuit that helped make Farrah Fawcett a 1970’s icon was donated to the Smithsonian in February 2011.
