KAMALI, NORMA

(1945- )

Kamali, a native New Yorker, began making fashion statements as a teenager with her very personal innovative style of dress. Kamali, a graduate of theFashion Institute of Technology, opened aboutiquein New York City in 1968 with her husband. The merchandise was a combination of Kamali's overseas finds, supplemented with her own designs that spoke to the mood of fashion in the 1960s. In 1977, Kamali went through a divorce, which prompted the launch of her OMO line (On My Own). She is credited with revolutionizing how the world viewedsweatshirtgoods. Additionally, Kamali challenged the fashion world's opinion at this time of quilted-down fabric and parachute cloth for cutting-edge apparel. Her swimsuit collections are an ingenious incorporation of retro and fresh innovation.