Designer Norma Kamali on the power of AI to keep a designer's legacy alive

For over five decades, Norma Kamali has been at the forefront of innovation in fashion, from pioneering digital retail in the 1990s to integrating AI into the design process today.

Kamali’s latest collection, which debuted at New York Fashion Week this month, marks a return to her signature aesthetic, characterized by sleek designs, unique layering and modern interpretations of 20th-century silhouettes. The collection also drew inspiration from Bob Dylan’s style. Kamali's fascination with Dylan, sparked by a Martin Scorsese documentary, influenced the styling, which incorporated black and brown fedoras with feathers, reminiscent of Dylan's iconic look.

But in past seasons, Kamali has taken a more tech-forward approach, including by leveraging AI: In October 2023, she partnered with Maison Meta to develop a proprietary AI model trained on her archives. And in February 2024, she showcased AI-generated designs in an installation dubbed "Fashion Hallucinations." According to Kamali, AI is set to shape the industry’s approach to archiving and to facilitate creative longevity.

Following New York Fashion Week, Kamali joined Glossy international fashion reporter Zofia Zwieglinska on the Glossy Podcast to discuss her latest collection, the role of technology in fashion and the future of her brand, which includes new category expansions.