Norma Kamali is credited with innovations that have influenced fashion globally throughout her 56 years in business. She invented many firsts in fashion: the sleeping bag coat in 1963, sweats as ready-to-wear fashion in 1980, influential swimwear from her early beginnings, active sportswear as lifestyle in the 80s, and always washable, easy-care collections as an adaptable approach to sustainability.
 
Ms. Kamali has been fascinated with technology since her first job at Northwest Orient Airlines as a reservations operator. She included QR codes as part of her window displays and installations in her store, and before cell phones and e-commerce, she invented “try before you buy” for clients. Today, her website features her collection, as well as the NORMALIFE brand for skincare and scent and home. She is a proponent of a healthy lifestyle and livestreams her workouts for all to join globally. Her book, I Am Invincible, is a handbook for women covering fitness, health, and beauty, as well as best practices for aging with power.
 
Her new headquarters in New York’s West Village is 17,000 square feet of space housing not only her business but also installations, films, and events.
 
Ms. Kamali is exploring the opportunities fashion and AI offer her brand. She took MIT’s generative AI online course and came away even more energized and inspired. She encourages her entire staff to use ChatGPT, and the results are truly exciting. This marks the beginning of yet another new chapter in her career;.her first AI x Norma Kamali collection will be launching soon.