Norma Kamali

Norma Kamali

When I graduated from FIT, I worked hard on my portfolio, and I was set to go out on my first job interview. The chance of working as a fashion illustrator was a good motivation to find a job, not to mention the pressure from my mom to start working. My first interview was in the Garment Center. As I entered the office, there was a man with his feet up on the desk, eating a tuna sandwich. He told me to step into his office, put my portfolio down and turn around for him.

I was 18, feeling totally powerless, and hearing my mom’s voice in my head to get a job, so I turned around. I was humiliated and embarrassed, and I felt that I could never let that happen to me again. Teary eyed, I went home, looked in the paper for a job, and found one at an airline. I knew I did not ever want that experience again and decided to try another career. I would travel, and I did. My experience as a reservationist at a computer was fantastic, and the travel exposed me to London in the sixties. I knew then and there I would want to be a designer.

I need to point out a discovery - I have never had my own office or showroom in the Garment Center, even til this day.

It took me all these years to tell this story. I plan to tell as many more as I can remember, to free myself, literally cleanse myself of the undermining influence of objectification. I recommend you all do the same. Post your empowerment photo and statement on StopObjectification.com. Use the space to click to your personal dumping ground.

Coming soon in two weeks, you can enter your stories with me. We will inspire each other and do a big cleanse of the soul! Post your photo and statement now and in 2 weeks, you can start dumping.
Dig deep ...NK

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