It goes without saying that designer Norma Kamali is a formidable figure in the fashion industry, and she has four decades’ worth (and counting!) of legendary designs to show for it. With her keen eye and boundary-pushing creativity, Kamali’s styles have defined and transcended eras. She fashioned the famous sleeping bag coat in the ’70s, ignited the shoulder pad trend in the ’80s, pioneered the luxe comfort movement with a widely accepted sweats collection in the same decade, and revolutionized swimwear (see Farrah Fawcett‘s iconic red one-piece).
With her trademark blunt bangs, signature cat eye frames, and her own personal eccentric style, the award-winning 68-year-old designer has become something of a fashion icon herself—and inspires respect and awe wherever she goes. As a salute to her robust career, we asked the designer to take a look back at her most memorable moments (in her own iconic designs, no less), from a fresh-faced newcomer in the ’60s to her seasoned present-day self.
Reminisce with Kamali and journey through her life with 14 amazing snaps that she dug up from her personal archive.
And make sure to log on to InStyle’s Facebook page on Tuesday, June 17, at 1 p.m. ET, for a Facebook Q&A with Norma Kamali herself!