Norma Kamali - Miami Swim 2012

For the last 18 years, Norma has dedicated time in the New York City public schools working with students and sharing how to bring art and commerce together and establishing job opportunities for students who are artistic and creative. Her efforts were recognized in May 2010, by the non-profit organization, Pencil. Norma was honored for her participation with Gramercy Arts High School and received the Pencil Partnership Award. Norma recently received an honorary doctorate degree of fine arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) during their 2010 commencement ceremony. Norma Kamali has always been known as an innovative designer who follows her own path. A designer who has invented designs such as the Sleeping Bag Coat, a collection created from actual parachutes and packable, multi-use clothing, some of which can be worn up to 30 different ways. Her swimwear has influenced an entire industry each season since its launch in 1974. Her sweats collection acted as an influential force in launching the casual lifestyle way of dressing which is now seen around the world. Many of her designs remain as popular today as from the time they were originally introduced leading to the phrase “timeless” being attached to nearly everything she does. Kamali’s passion for creating new ideas remains as strong now as it was when she began designing over 40 years ago. She distributes her own line, OMO Made in the USA, to specialty stores around the world. Her website www.normakamali.com was launched in 1995 and offers all styles using a service called “Try Before You Buy.” In November 2010, she was honored as one of WWD’s “100 Designers Who Shaped Fashion.” The red Norma Kamali swimsuit that helped make Farrah Fawcett a 1970’s icon was donated to the Smithsonian in February 2011.