We'll Have What Norma Kamali is Having
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When Norma Kamali opened her Wellness Café in Manhattan in 2001 with a menu of fresh green juices and clean skincare, she pre-Gooped Gwyneth by nearly a decade. Now, in addition to being one of the most enduring fashion designers on the planet—Kamali’s greatest hits include that red swimsuit from the famous 1970s Farrah Fawcett poster, and the iconic sleeping bag coat that kept doormen toasty at Studio 54 (and warmed countless al fresco diners this winter)—she has taken her rightful place as self-care soothsayer. At 75, she radiantly flouts expectations associated with age—and lucky for us, her new wellness-minded memoir, I Am Invincible, gives a little insight into how she’s done it.
First of all, did you just get engaged?
Yes, at 75! Who would have thought? I never expected to find a soulmate. I always thought how lucky I was just to have a creative career I love. Then an ex-boyfriend of mine, Ian Schrager, told me he had someone he wanted me to meet. I thought, he’s not the typical guy I’m attracted to, but he’s really smart. That was ten years ago. During lockdown, he put a note by the bed that said if we’re not doing anything in October, we should get married. I was like, “Is this a proposal on this piece of paper?” We’re waiting a while for the wedding because of Covid. I want to be with people I love. I want to dance and scream and spew whatever I feel.
How do you feel when someone says, "She looks good for her age"?
That drives me crazy. We have to be politically correct about everything, but we can still speak about age as if it's bad. Anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, good for her age, aging gracefully. Who the hell wants to age gracefully? That sounds like dying to me. Trying to be young totally overwhelms the power of life experience. Age gives you such confidence, especially after 50 when you don't have hormones taking over your life. I feel so good about my age and about flaunting it. The more we talk about our age the more we free ourselves to re-identify beauty. When you’re healthy, you look beautiful. That doesn't mean you don't have lines on your face. There's an energy from vitality that's really special.
How do you think the last year will affect the way people approach wellness going forward?
Covid has been so devastating for so many people, but the silver linings that have come through are fascinating. I never believed in a million years that I could work remotely and still do my work really well. I craved balance, but I never had it. Now we all realize that working offsite can be beneficial to our lives. That in itself is going to affect so much, from fashion to the way we design our homes.
What’s your workout regimen?
I wake up very early and I exercise, and then I do a different work out in the evening. I love sweating. I love dancing around. I like trying new things, so I just see what’s On Demand. It’s fun. I need to keep moving or I’m not a good person.
You swear by acupuncture facelifts. What’s the secret?
Acupuncture is truly the best thing. I’ve been going to Dr. Jingduan Yang for years. Doing it weekly is best because it’s cumulative, but it’s just very good for your whole body—it puts everything in line. The needles put me right to sleep, and when I wake I feel so refreshed. I look a little better, too.
Are you into any beauty tech, like LEDs or jade rollers?
I go through spurts of trying different things. At this point it's more about experimenting with supplements and nutritional powders. I'm convinced that working out and sweating and getting the blood flowing, which is also what acupuncture does, is more important than what you put on your skin or any of the props you can buy.
What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do before you go to sleep?
The first thing I do is meditate. I write down anything that came to me in the night or any thoughts for the day. Then I have a cup of beautiful Japanese tea, and then I work out. It’s just simple self-care. Sleep is really important to me. I think about it from the time I wake up. My bedroom is immaculate. I make my bed in the morning and make sure it's fantastic so that when I'm ready to go to bed it's like, "Oh, I love my bed and I love my pillow." Sleep is your daily cleanse. It’s a big deal.
This story appears in the March 2021 issue of Town & Country.
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