Norma Kamali: Pioneer Designer Embraces AI at 78

From Parachutes to Pixels: A Legacy of Innovation

Kamali’s journey from struggling divorcee to feminist icon began when she rebuilt her career after losing everything in divorce proceedings. Armed with just $98, she launched “OMO (On My Own) Norma Kamali” in the 1970s, creating revolutionary pieces like the Parachute Collection using actual military parachutes and the iconic Sleeping Bag Coat. Her designs became symbols of the Women’s Liberation Movement, offering comfort and freedom of movement when women were breaking societal constraints.

“I want the company to use this tool with my archives and think about creating collections like I do: What’s going on with women? What do they need?” Kamali explained during a recent interview from her Manhattan headquarters.

Tech Pioneer Meets Fashion Visionary

Long before AI became mainstream, Kamali was already a technology enthusiast. She launched one of fashion’s first websites in 1996 and introduced virtual reality fashion experiences. Her early exposure to UNIVAC computers during her airline career sparked a lifelong fascination with technological innovation.

Today, Kamali aims to structure her company to “live beyond” her, using AI to analyze women’s needs and create responsive designs. Her advice for aspiring designers remains unchanged: “determination” – the same quality that transformed her from a divorced woman with $98 into a fashion empire worth studying at the Smithsonian Museum.