The photo of Farrah Fawcett wearing the red swimsuit is an indelible image. But for Norma Kamali, the New York-based fashion designer behind the iconic garment, it’s merely another moment in a very storied career. The trendsetting pioneer is credited with popularizing shoulder pads in the ’80s (“I was obsessed with Old Hollywood films and the glamour of that look. I also loved the idea of a casual lifestyle look, so I put the two together.”), while her ubiquitous ’70s-era Sleeping Bag coat is still coveted today. Kamali, who launches her wellness-focused brand, Norma Life, this month, stays inspired with pursuits outside of fashion. “Having interests in different creative worlds allows me to still be stimulated by fashion,” she says.
On wanting to be a painter
I was drawing all the time; it felt very comfortable. I’d won painting scholarships and had a couple of painting grants. I felt that was my place, but my mother gave me a reality check and said, ‘You’re going to need to pay rent someday, so you may want to rethink the painting career and learn how to type.’ I still refuse to learn how to type. I’m a one-finger typist.
Kamali’s spring 2019 men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections
On getting into fashion
I went to London in the ’60s when [the city] was going through a transformation from the Mad Men era to the revolution. I had a store [in New York] while I was [working an office job at Northwest Airlines]. I would bring clothes back from London and sell them because everybody wanted what I was wearing. But I also started to make some pieces. I had no real training in fashion. I learned how to make patterns. I learned the craft of designing clothes. For a long time, I was sure people would figure out that I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.
On reinventing activewear
[During the 1970s], there was Studio 54, and a lot of color, glitter, and shine. I was designing a swimwear collection. I always loved swimming, and every time I got out of the water, I would wear a gray sweatshirt from the Army Navy Store. I was always in and out of the water, so keeping warm was important, and I wanted a cover up in my swim line. I bought gray sweatshirt fabric, and I made everything you can think of, from sweatshirts to jackets, pants, dresses, evening gowns, and joggers. My first collection was a complete lifestyle collection made out of gray sweatshirt [material]. I accessorized it with sneakers and T-shirts, and things from the Army Navy Store. Nobody was doing that at the time. It was a bit of a shock, but it was very well-received. It became an easy thing for people to get into, and it never went away.
Kamali’s spring 2019 men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections
On dressing Grace Jones for the 1978 New Year’s Eve party at Studio 54
It was a very minimal [gold bodysuit], and she was very comfortable not wearing anything. Anything I made for her, she thought it was too much fabric. I might have used a quarter of a yard of fabric; it wasn’t covering a lot. I did the costumes for the male backup dancers, too. They didn’t wear very much either.
On designing a line of clothing for Walmart in 2008
I’d never been in a Walmart because I’m a New York City girl. I didn’t even have a preconceived notion about it. Somebody contacted me to help rethink their clothing line, so I went to [the headquarters in Arkansas] and was blown away. I had no idea the size and power of Walmart. You could create huge change through that venue. They wanted to do a fashion line, but I didn’t think the store was for me. A few years later, they wanted to meet again. I did a line with them for three years. I had an incredible experience learning how to design in huge numbers but not compromise my aesthetic or the respect I have for the consumer.
Kamali’s spring 2019 men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections
On her new lifestyle brand, Norma Life
I’ve learned so much through the years that I decided to share what I know in a way that’s inclusive, democratic, and can make self-care time a part of the ritual that you do for yourself each day. It will include everything under the three pillars of a healthy lifestyle, which is diet, exercise, and sleep. I developed a skin line in the early ’90s, but it was too early then. I thought, I’m putting this away, and I’ll know when the time is right for this. I feel really good about it now.
