Norma Kamali has been an icon in the fashion industry since the 1960s. In addition to designing Farah Fawcett's red swimsuit, the original sleeping bag coat and the all-in-one-dress, Kamali is known for integrating fashion with lifestyle and technology. She presented one of her fashion week collections as a 3-D film and her New York city boutique highlights fitness and nutrition, as well. She recently launched an affordable online-only collection of basics under the label KamaliKulture, available through Amazon and Zappos. We talked to Kamali from New York.
Q What five things should every woman own?
A Things that she knows she's going to wear and that represent her authentic self. It really is quite individual. If she works, she should have something that's her favorite go-to piece. If she works out, she should know the type of workout clothes that she feels enhances her workout and makes her feel very powerful. You should have a special-occasion dress that is the most dynamic version of who you are and a signature piece of jewelry, representing the authentic you, and the same with accessories that really bring you forward in the most powerful, dynamic way. We don't really need much more than that.
Q So you don't actually need all that much in your closet?
A We tend to buy extras when we're not happy, because we want them to fill a void or help with our identity or self-image. When we really feel secure or better about ourselves, we tend to need less. All of the clothes we never wear are representations of when we weren't feeling as great about ourselves.
Q How does that apply to your own closet?
A Just being a woman is more challenging when it comes to self-image because we're judged by how we look so often. I'm not sure there are many women who feel their image is great all the time. When we look great, we're unstoppable. When we don't, we do a lot of stupid things.
Q What makes you feel great when you wear it?
