Norma Kamali: Pioneering the Future of Fashion with Artificial Intelligence

Massachusetts Institute of Technology – April 22, 2025
Norma Kamali, a celebrated fashion designer with fifty years of work, uses artificial intelligence to add a new spark to style. She made famous looks for stars like Whitney Houston and Jessica Biel. Now she joins art with a smart machine to shape style.

Integrating AI into Fashion

Kamali began using AI during a meeting in Abu Dhabi. Industry peers asked her to build an AI fashion tool. They based the idea on her well-known Walmart work. At first, the idea of "downloading her brain" felt foreign to her. Instead, she imagined a home-grown AI tool that builds on her 57-year archive. Kamali said, "I thought, AI could be my Karl Lagerfeld." She used the system much as the late designer used his past for fresh ideas.

She then took a course at MIT called "Applied Generative AI for Digital Transformation." She ended the course in 2023. She learned how AI can work as a creative friend. Though technical parts scared her, she pushed to get the skill. "I wasn’t sure how much I could do," she said, yet her work soon showed AI’s fun results.

Creative Collaborations with AI

Working with a custom AI model from Maison Meta, Kamali tested the tool on one of her classic black outfits with silver studs. The tool changed her design by reworking many versions of her work. Kamali called the shift "magic." Even when the AI made mistakes, these changes sparked new art. "Some of the best editorial fashion is absurd," she said. The art, tech, and fashion came together with each word and idea close at hand.

Addressing Concerns and Broader Implications

Kamali’s work with AI reflects changes in many fields. Many now see tech not as a simple tool but as a new force in work. Bhaskar Pant, head of MIT Professional Education, said AI can help set new rules for style and work. He noted that keeping in touch with AI is key to its smart use.

Kamali spoke on work changes. "Sewing skill is harder to find. Designers need new tools," she said. She asked the field to bring tech into design work in a clear way.

Towards a Sustainable Future

Kamali sees more than art in AI. She has long worked to cut waste in fashion. AI may pick the best fabrics, cut waste, and allow on-demand output. One idea calls for letting buyers shape their wedding dress online and having a robot make it piece by piece. "The possibilities are endless," she said.

Abel Sanchez, a MIT researcher and guide in the course, said AI opens new room for shops to adjust and create new relations with buyers. He noted that smart tools let groups rethink how they work.

The Journey Ahead

The MIT course sparked a steady talk between Kamali and Sanchez. This keeps her curious about how fast AI grows. "AI grows fast. I know I must learn more," she said, showing her constant search for growth. For others who fear AI, she told a short tale: "Imagine landing in a small town where you do not know the words. That is how it feels if you ignore AI. The train moved already — now is your time."

Today, AI-made looks join her classic work on her website. Norma Kamali leads a new age in fashion where art and smart tools share close space. She holds firm that "learning is the grand adventure of life. Why stop now?"