We’ve long been in love with the looks of fashion legend Norma Kamali and the baubles of jeweler Ranjana Khan. Here, we sit down with these two inspiring women to learn the secrets to their success, joy, and creativity.
Style, unlike fashion, comes from within and stays beyond specific seasons. Substance is the foundation of style. look to Norma Kamali for proof.
As I sit in Kamali’s Manhattan studio listening to this living legend (clad in her own luxurious garb and large, horn-rimmed glasses) share her perspective, I realize I could stand to use some of her mojo. Her energy and vitality belie her 69 years. I’m inspired to learn that she’s shaking up the status quo and embarking on this wellness journey at this stage of life. “It’s overwhelming, but I have an end goal dream: Create a platform of clothing that is easy to take care of and modern, that you can throw in the washing machine and have the kids spit up on, then go to your business meeting—and just live life,” says Kamali.
And it’s not only about clothes. It’s about a lifestyle that embraces the food we eat, making smart choices, and sharing stories across the globe. Within her film studio, Kamali highlights ideas to show clothes in a real way, away from the runway. Experts share with her usable notions of modern health and fitness, not to mention ways to dream big. It’s also about her campaign to stop the objectification of women. Never shy about pushing the envelope, Kamali invites women on her Stopobjectification.com website to share stories about their most powerful body part, and why they feel they can serve as an inspiration to others.
Kamali’s journey is a powerful demonstration of resourcefulness. She credits her Lebanese mother for bolstering her self-reliance. “She implanted in my brain that you can do anything and should not rely on a man for your financial well-being.” After marrying her Iranian husband, Mohammed Kamali, at 19, Kamali—who originally wanted to be a painter—worked as an airline stewardess. While traveling to the far corners of the world, she collected clothes and big ideas. A clothing store followed, and within six months upon opening, Kamali’s designs were spread across the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. But at age 29, Kamali found herself at a personal crossroads, divorcing her husband and taking nothing but the $98 she had to her name.
Since she could not legally use the brand name— her own—she started the On My Own Norma Kamali line, or OMO, and went on to design the one-piece red bathing suit worn by Farrah Fawcett in the iconic 1976 poster. Equally remarkable and award winning in design were her “sleeping bag” coat and garments made from silk parachutes, which are now in MOMA’s permanent collection. Kamali has been credited with popularizing shoulder pads in the 1980s.
With such an impressive pedigree, it’s little wonder that this powerhouse possesses an ever evolving, deeply creative mind. For those engaged in the world of wellness, her endeavors of late have us feeling healthier and more fab than ever.
Rock on, Mrs. Khan: An ageless phenom with extraordinary style and gobs of talent, Ranjana Khan blends high-minded jewelry making with au courant street art.