Designer Norma Kamali on timeless beauty and inspiring self-love
Sitting opposite Kamali in a luxury London hotel suite her perfectly tanned, and make-up free, face radiates a glow to match her personality. She finds humour and beauty in the everyday; a spring morning, a conversation, a new idea. After decades experiencing both success and setbacks in the industry, resilience has carried her through – with a heavy dose of generosity, unto herself and others. Soon after suffering the “first big drama in a woman’s life at 29/30 – I was separating from my husband and had $98 to my name,” she opened her OMO [On My Own] boutique.
A darling of the social scene during New York City’s disco-daze in the 1970s, Kamali has racked up an impressive roster of ‘firsts’ in the industry. Dreaming up dance-proof lamé and lycra costumes worn by every celebrity du jour at Studio 54; introducing sports-luxe into everyday street fashion; making clothing from actual silk parachutes as early as 1974 (and the iconic “sleeping bag” coat a year later). A trendsetter to the core. Also a longtime wellness advocate, the OG influencer is set to launch a set of products (currently top secret) based on her “life experience in personal care and wellness.” Catching up with NK on a cold winter’s day in New York, she talks us through her beauty evolution, the art of disruption and joy of being in her 70s.
On learning to love her face and going make-up free in her 50s
“Back then [in the 1970s] I literally was doing everything to make the perfect face, the perfect eyes. Part of it was playful and decorative. There was another part of it that was overcompensating for my own insecurity about how I looked and my own beauty; I really believed that for a very, very long time and thought ‘how would I live without makeup?’ I thought people would see I’m not really that beautiful. Clearly this was all in my head. I’m not the only woman who has ever thought that – otherwise the beauty and fashion industry wouldn’t have been able to get into our souls and make us believe that is true. If you look at the brilliance of the Kardashians they take that concept…and really nothing has changed from when I was growing up.
The fact is, nobody looks like me. So if my nose if bigger than everybody else’s, guess what? It’s my nose – you don’t have it. It’s mine. When I was a kid growing up everybody had little turned up noses. I grew up in an Irish neighbourhood. I would sleep on my nose so it would turn up! But it didn’t, it just kept growing straighter and longer and there was no way I was going to be as beautiful as all these Irish girls. But then over time I realized that if you believe you look good, people believe you too. So why don’t I take my unique, individual look and make it the best it can be. Eat better so my skin is good, so my eyes sparkle. Let me work out so there’s tone in my body. Let me do all the things I can so that I can wake up in the morning and present myself without makeup without feeling like, ‘oh my god, this is really bad.’ There are days that are better than others, but that holds with makeup too. A confident person has a way of connecting to other human beings that make you look more beautiful through what they say and what they do. That’s beauty.”
On dancing through life
“Even if there is no dancing I will do whatever I can to get people to dance. So if I’m sweating and my hair is dripping I like whatever I’m wearing to hold up whatever if going to happen. If someone is having a dance party, I invite myself. I’m there!
A dancers body is probably the best athletic body there is. There’s someone I’m meeting in the next few weeks who has developed a new exercise for dancers, he’s coming to do this [workshop] with a few of the New York City Ballet dancers. It’s very unique.”
On 1940s movie heroines
“I was one of the very early proponents of vintage. I was also influenced as a young kid by the way my mother dressed, her makeup and hair. I was born in 1945. And as a five and six year old my mother was sort of transitioning from the late 40s to the early 50s and as you know that’s a spectacular time in fashion, big taffeta skirts, the heels, the elegant pumps, red lips, red nails. Hyper-glamorous, but in a very chic way. She found her influence through the movies, and as Americans we don’t have the history you [Europeans] have – our sense of ourselves really came from movies and more current influences. I think about Gene Tierney and Carole Lombard, all of the obvious, gorgeous women. Also Carrie Grant – he was just specimen beyond. So perfect in every way.”
On the rise of gender fluid fashion in the 1970s vs. 2k19 Gen Z-ers
“After the 60s the baby boomers were the disruptors. All of a sudden people were able to talk about what they really wanted to say and many of them in the 70s found a place – New York [then] was a great place to express feelings about identity and gender – to connect with their feminine side. It threw a ton of incredibly talented people together too. A perfect example of this is Mick Jagger: he was wearing red lipstick, red nail polish and was dressing and acting very feminine. Even in his lifestyle, he was very provocative. He was one of the more obvious proponents of gender bending and fluidity. It was very exciting and for a period of time, a substantial period of time in the 70s, 50% of my clients were men. They weren’t dressing in drag, it wasn’t drag – men were just dressing in clothes they liked and they were able to express their feminine side with great comfort and actually enjoy it and have a good time in how they put themselves together.
I believe that in the last 2 years there’s been small touches of it and it’s now becoming more and more a comfortable place for people to find the fun and the opportunity in wearing anything they like and not look at what department it’s supposed to be in. Do I like it? Like me wear it. I’m finding the Gen Z and younger millennials are very comfortable with these blurred lines and I love it.”
On why less is more when it comes to skincare
“The simpler the system the better it is. As a fashion designer, obviously I’m always interested in the what’s new. Change is a big thing for me. But when it comes to simplicity with skincare, it then’s something you stick to and stay loyal too. Especially if it works. My mother used Ponds Cold Cream her whole life, she never washed her face with soap and water, and she had incredible skin. There is no skin regime that’s going to make up for a bad diet or sleepless nights or no exercise. Bottom line is it won’t cover it up. What we put in our bodies is so critical to what your hair and texture of skin is going to look like.”
On the joys of karaoke (and friendship with the Queen of Soul, Etta James)
“I used to go to Japan, I’d go four times a year and then I spent a lot of time doing Karaoke after dinner. It was terrifying because everyone was so good and then I found out they actually take lessons because they’re with their bosses and they have to look good. I came back [to NY] and I was like I’m so competitive I’m gonna take lessons. I went twice. But I don’t care that I’m not great, I just love to sing. My karaoke song? I’m a big Etta James fan. Of course there’s no way I’m ever going to sing At Last. I actually knew her quite well. For one of my fashion show in the early 90s I picked all the music and the musical director said, ‘do you realise every song you chose was Etta James. I didn’t even know what she looked like, I had no idea. So I reached out and hunted her down and we got in touch with her manager. I said I would love, love, love her to come to the show, I would be so honoured, I love her music. Unfortunately she had a show in California on the day of the show but her team said ‘she’ll be there in two weeks and would I come to her show, she was appearing in a small club here?’ I met her and we became best friends. Everyday she came to New York I would be her guest backstage or whatever. We would spend a lot of time together and call me out in the audience. I bet people thought we were lovers or something [laughs]. If she was shopping in Walmart – I did a little line for them – and she would call me and say ‘I’m here with my nieces and nephews and I want to buy that dress, what size should I get? What’s your favourite?’”
For more updates on Norma Kamali’s fashion collection and upcoming wellness product line NORMAKAMALIFE, follow @normakamali.
