"People have to be able to live in their clothes— to lie down on the floor in them and let them get wrinkled. That's what clothes are really about." Norma Kamali
Norma Kamali studied fashion illustration at New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology and then went to work for an international airline. She traveled frequently to London, and her experience with the London fashion scene led her to open a clothing boutique in New York City in 1968. The store was a hit, and Kamali decided to start her own clothing line.
Her "parachute" collection, using real army surplus parachutes, became famous, as did her inventions of the sleeping bag coat (a large quilted jacket) and high-heeled sneakers. She began her swimwear line in 1977, and it has become one of her most notable endeavors.
Following her divorce in 1978, she started her OMO (standing for On My Own) line. Kamali won the Coty Award in 1982 for Best Women's Wear Designer and was selected to the Coty Hall of Fame in 1983. Kamali is known for her use of utilitarian materials in high fashion. Her aim is comfort and ease of use.
Kamali was among the first designers to use the unitard, and her 1995 collection brought poly jerseys, which are wrinkle-free, machine-washable, and ideal for travel, into high fashion. She is considered one of the most original fashion designers.
Kamali was the first high-fashion designer to "cut out the middleman" and allow the public to buy directly from her company, with her "Shop Like a Celebrity" service.