Norma Kamali: Pioneering the Future of Fashion through Artificial Intelligence
MIT News – April 22, 2025
Norma Kamali mixes art and technology. She is a famous designer with a career that now spans fifty years. Her work once dressed stars like Whitney Houston and Jessica Biel. Today, she uses AI to change fashion in new ways.
Embracing the Power of AI
In a meeting held in Abu Dhabi, talk of her Walmart collection sparked a fresh idea. Kamali first met AI there. A worry built in her about “downloading her brain” into a machine. Soon, she planned an AI tool to grow her work from 57 years of design. “I thought, AI could be my Karl Lagerfeld,” she said.
To make her idea real, Kamali took an online course from MIT Professional Education. The course was titled Applied Generative AI for Digital Transformation. She aimed to learn how AI could act as a creative friend. “I was unsure if I could do much,” she said. Step by step, she learned about AI prompts and training data. Soon, ideas came fast. “And then suddenly, I was playing,” she recalled.
Art, Technology, and Fashion United
Kamali used an AI model from Maison Meta to give a new look to one of her classic designs. The piece was simple: black clothes with silver studs. She entered AI prompts based on the forms she had already made. The results went beyond her hopes and felt like magic. Errors from AI—what she called “hallucinations”—turned into art. “Some of the best fashion stories come from the absurd,” she said.
A Spark for Change
Kamali’s new use of AI stands as an example in the industry. Bhaskar Pant from MIT Professional Education said, “While many talk about AI, we help shape its role to aid leaders and companies.” Her work shows that learning all through life can spark fresh ideas. She also spoke on job worries: “Sewing skills are hard to find now. Designers need new tools to cope.” Her words point to a shift in work as technology grows.
AI and Sustainability in Fashion
Kamali sees AI as a tool for a greener industry. She has long stood for eco-friendly methods. AI can pick the right fabrics and cut waste with production that happens only when needed. “Imagine you design your wedding dress online, and a robot builds it, one piece at a time,” she said. Her view shows many ways that tech can work in fashion.
A Commitment to Lifelong Learning
Kamali keeps asking new questions about AI. She talks often with Abel Sanchez, an MIT research scientist. “AI moves so fast, I know I must learn more,” she said. For those who wait too long, she compared it to landing in a small town where you do not know the language. “The train left the station—it is time to get on board,” she warned. Her AI designs now sit with her usual work on her website. Both tech and art work side by side in her view. Her words stick: “Learning is the adventure of life. Why stop now?”
Norma Kamali steps into fashion’s future with AI. Her work shows that art and tech can join to build new ideas and fresh work.
