Norma Kamali

I think I like alone time. I like quiet time. And what I did was, to have that quiet time, I would always have a pencil and paper, and I'd always draw. And I would draw anything. And I would draw dresses. And then I would start to draw things. And I remember one of the first things I drew was this vintage typewriter my mother had. And it was beautiful.

I think I like alone time. I like quiet time. And what I did was, to have that quiet time, I would always have a pencil and paper, and I'd always draw. And I would draw anything. And I would draw dresses. And then I would start to draw things. And I remember one of the first things I drew was this vintage typewriter my mother had. And it was beautiful.

And it was all black and it had these raised lines. letters, and I drew every detail of the typewriter. And it took me some time, and I wanted it to be exact, but it had the beauty of a freehand drawing of something very static. And I remember finishing it and thinking, oh, I want to draw something else. What else? And I would look around. What else can I draw?

And it was all black and it had these raised lines. letters, and I drew every detail of the typewriter. And it took me some time, and I wanted it to be exact, but it had the beauty of a freehand drawing of something very static. And I remember finishing it and thinking, oh, I want to draw something else. What else? And I would look around. What else can I draw?

I think I drew everything in the apartment that we lived in, literally everything. And if my brother would sit still for a second, I would draw him and say, stop doing that. And I would still keep drawing him. But I found a lot of comfort in drawing because it was always a surprise to see what would happen when I draw something else.

I think I drew everything in the apartment that we lived in, literally everything. And if my brother would sit still for a second, I would draw him and say, stop doing that. And I would still keep drawing him. But I found a lot of comfort in drawing because it was always a surprise to see what would happen when I draw something else.

And I did draw a lot of dresses, but I think it had nothing to do with wanting to be a designer. But in the 50s, the clothes of the 50s, you know, as we all know, of these big petticoated skirts and pencil skirts with sweaters. And all the girls that were older that would dress up for their dates or to go to dances that were wearing these clothes were so beautiful.

And I did draw a lot of dresses, but I think it had nothing to do with wanting to be a designer. But in the 50s, the clothes of the 50s, you know, as we all know, of these big petticoated skirts and pencil skirts with sweaters. And all the girls that were older that would dress up for their dates or to go to dances that were wearing these clothes were so beautiful.

Irish girls are spectacularly beautiful. And I would draw them and look at their outfits and think, This is so great. The skirt is so full. And I would draw what they were wearing and think, oh, I can't wait until I can go on a date and wear petticoats. And I would wear petticoats to school. And at the time, white bucks were very popular.

Irish girls are spectacularly beautiful. And I would draw them and look at their outfits and think, This is so great. The skirt is so full. And I would draw what they were wearing and think, oh, I can't wait until I can go on a date and wear petticoats. And I would wear petticoats to school. And at the time, white bucks were very popular.

And in order to keep white bucks clean, you'd always have this big powder thing to put on the white bucks. So I would go into my classroom. I remember with this big petticoat skirt that was wider than the room between the desks. And I'd walk through and the skirts wouldn't fit through. And then I'd have, you'd see white footprints because I put so much powder on my box that I'd turn around.

And in order to keep white bucks clean, you'd always have this big powder thing to put on the white bucks. So I would go into my classroom. I remember with this big petticoat skirt that was wider than the room between the desks. And I'd walk through and the skirts wouldn't fit through. And then I'd have, you'd see white footprints because I put so much powder on my box that I'd turn around.

I'm like, oh, my God, my footprints are all over it. But that's when I realized that dressing up could be so much fun and wear petticoats and ponytails and sweaters backwards and just be cool. So that was sort of the beginning. So you loved fashion to some extent. I didn't realize that it was fashion. We didn't know about fashion. It wasn't a conversation.

I'm like, oh, my God, my footprints are all over it. But that's when I realized that dressing up could be so much fun and wear petticoats and ponytails and sweaters backwards and just be cool. So that was sort of the beginning. So you loved fashion to some extent. I didn't realize that it was fashion. We didn't know about fashion. It wasn't a conversation.

It was, what are the clothes of the time? Don't forget it's the 50s. And the fashion of the 50s was very high elegance or elegance. Paris-type fashion, which we never knew about in our neighborhood, or what movie stars were wearing. And so what the girls in the neighborhood mostly wore was what movie stars were wearing. And that wasn't Paris fashion.

It was, what are the clothes of the time? Don't forget it's the 50s. And the fashion of the 50s was very high elegance or elegance. Paris-type fashion, which we never knew about in our neighborhood, or what movie stars were wearing. And so what the girls in the neighborhood mostly wore was what movie stars were wearing. And that wasn't Paris fashion.

It was sort of like popular kind of look of the day.

It was sort of like popular kind of look of the day.

I wanted to be a painter. And my mother was very clear about the fact that she wouldn't be able to put me through college. So if I wanted to go, I had to get a scholarship. And that I better think of something other than painting. I better think of something that you can actually get a job. So I got a scholarship to FIT.

I wanted to be a painter. And my mother was very clear about the fact that she wouldn't be able to put me through college. So if I wanted to go, I had to get a scholarship. And that I better think of something other than painting. I better think of something that you can actually get a job. So I got a scholarship to FIT.