Norma Kamali

I landed in London and somebody at the airline said, they have boarding houses you could stay at for $6 a night in this place called Chelsea. And they gave me the name of a place, so I made a reservation. And Chelsea, at the time, was the very beginning of what would be an incredible area.

I landed in London and somebody at the airline said, they have boarding houses you could stay at for $6 a night in this place called Chelsea. And they gave me the name of a place, so I made a reservation. And Chelsea, at the time, was the very beginning of what would be an incredible area.

It was an artist area that then had these amazing shops that opened and everybody in music and film and everybody would be in Chelsea. And so I found myself by fate in the right place at the right time. And when I walked down the King's Road to see what was going on, it was basically very gray.

It was an artist area that then had these amazing shops that opened and everybody in music and film and everybody would be in Chelsea. And so I found myself by fate in the right place at the right time. And when I walked down the King's Road to see what was going on, it was basically very gray.

very tweed gray, very gray everything, except for this one store that was painted big outside colors, colors, colors, and this music was blaring out of the store. And I believe it was, all you need is love. And that's all I heard. I was like a moth to the light. I was like, oh my God, what's there? And I just was boom, right in there. And I became friends with the people in that place.

very tweed gray, very gray everything, except for this one store that was painted big outside colors, colors, colors, and this music was blaring out of the store. And I believe it was, all you need is love. And that's all I heard. I was like a moth to the light. I was like, oh my God, what's there? And I just was boom, right in there. And I became friends with the people in that place.

And they said, there's this great club we go to on Margaret Street. You have to come with us. I went to the club and it was a place where all of these musicians that were just becoming were there. And it was everybody you could think of that was a British musician or group on the rise. And it started this beautiful adventure for four years. And then the reason I stopped the airline job is because

And they said, there's this great club we go to on Margaret Street. You have to come with us. I went to the club and it was a place where all of these musicians that were just becoming were there. And it was everybody you could think of that was a British musician or group on the rise. And it started this beautiful adventure for four years. And then the reason I stopped the airline job is because

my business started to really take off. And the airlines saw I was getting press. I had a picture in time.

my business started to really take off. And the airlines saw I was getting press. I had a picture in time.

Yeah, it wasn't a conscious plan. I'm going to do this. What I would do was one of the things you learned at the airlines was was how to pack efficiently. And one of the things, one of the tricks is you take let's say a dress, a little Biba dress, and you fold it and then you roll it really tight and you put rubber bands around it.

Yeah, it wasn't a conscious plan. I'm going to do this. What I would do was one of the things you learned at the airlines was was how to pack efficiently. And one of the things, one of the tricks is you take let's say a dress, a little Biba dress, and you fold it and then you roll it really tight and you put rubber bands around it.

So you have like a little Frankfurter, but there's this dress in it. And so I would roll all of these things, put rubber bands around them, get a garment bag and just fill the garment bag, this thick, right? And fill it up and then walk through, walk through customs with my garment bag. And then I would bring them home and open them up, steam them out. And friends were all asking me for things.

So you have like a little Frankfurter, but there's this dress in it. And so I would roll all of these things, put rubber bands around them, get a garment bag and just fill the garment bag, this thick, right? And fill it up and then walk through, walk through customs with my garment bag. And then I would bring them home and open them up, steam them out. And friends were all asking me for things.

And then finally, I thought, I think I should see if I can find them. a place to sell these things because I know now how to get more of them. I have a relationship with all of these people in London. They're my friends and they were excited that I was doing this too. And so I found a store, $285 and I was like, Thank you very much.

And then finally, I thought, I think I should see if I can find them. a place to sell these things because I know now how to get more of them. I have a relationship with all of these people in London. They're my friends and they were excited that I was doing this too. And so I found a store, $285 and I was like, Thank you very much.

Of course, it was a little basement store that you had to go down into. But I was in a group of buildings that were all painted lots of colors now because now we were more into this period where the painted colors on everything not was just in that one store in London, but now it was everywhere. And it was very successful. It did really well. I decorated it with furniture from the Salvation Army.

Of course, it was a little basement store that you had to go down into. But I was in a group of buildings that were all painted lots of colors now because now we were more into this period where the painted colors on everything not was just in that one store in London, but now it was everywhere. And it was very successful. It did really well. I decorated it with furniture from the Salvation Army.

I found snakeskin wallpaper, fabulous, at the Salvation Army. And I painted a pattern on the floor. I remember painting it while I was wearing high heels, of course. And I didn't have a dressing room. The way I had a dressing room is if the door was open, we had a dressing room because it made a spot behind it. If it was closed, we didn't.

I found snakeskin wallpaper, fabulous, at the Salvation Army. And I painted a pattern on the floor. I remember painting it while I was wearing high heels, of course. And I didn't have a dressing room. The way I had a dressing room is if the door was open, we had a dressing room because it made a spot behind it. If it was closed, we didn't.