At the age of 78, Norma Kamali, a renowned designer based in New York, is not contemplating retirement. Instead, she is envisioning how her empire, which she painstakingly built from the ground up over five decades, will continue to flourish after she decides to step back. In an era where technology intertwines with every aspect of our lives, Kamali is embracing an unorthodox yet forward-thinking strategy: she plans to immortalize her creative spirit through artificial intelligence.
Collaborating with Maison Meta, a firm specializing in AI, Kamali is in the process of crafting an AI tool tailored to replicate her unique design flair. This initiative involves feeding the AI model with an extensive array of images from her brand’s historical archives, aiming to encapsulate the essence of Kamali’s style. This digital endeavor is grounded in the desire not to replace human designers but to supplement their creativity with Kamali’s enduring artistic vision, ensuring her brand’s continuity and innovation.
Kamali’s approach is rooted in her lifelong fascination with technology. Her journey with tech began in the 1960s, working on an early computer model, the Univac, during her tenure at Northwest Airlines. This long-standing interest has seen her explore various technological applications in fashion, from creating a fashion game for Walmart to now pioneering the use of generative AI in design.
The fashion industry has been quick to explore AI’s potential, from enhancing customer service with chatbots to generating creative designs. Designers are seeking ways to maintain their unique aesthetic while leveraging AI to push creative boundaries. Kamali’s project goes a step further by aiming to preserve her design legacy through AI, a testament to her innovative spirit and commitment to her brand’s future.
The process of developing this AI involves meticulous organization and categorization of Kamali’s extensive archive, starting with her acclaimed swimwear line. The technology underlying Kamali’s AI, built on the Stable Diffusion XL model and further customized with the tool Fooocus, is designed to understand and generate designs based on specific prompts, reflecting Kamali’s signature style.
Yet, Kamali emphasizes the irreplaceable role of human creativity in the design process. She views AI as a tool for exploration and innovation, rather than a replacement for the designer’s touch. This balance between technology and human creativity is central to Kamali’s vision, aiming to blend past inspirations with future innovations to create something truly unique and groundbreaking.
As Kamali ventures into this uncharted territory, she remains aware of the challenges and limitations of AI in capturing the soul and essence of design. The project is still in its nascent stages, a “rough and raw” exploration of how AI can integrate into and enrich the design process. Yet, Kamali’s pioneering spirit and her team’s collaborative efforts signify a bold step towards a future where technology and human creativity merge to redefine fashion design.
Kamali’s endeavor is not just about safeguarding her legacy but also about charting a new path for the fashion industry. By marrying her rich design heritage with the possibilities offered by AI, Kamali is setting a precedent for how brands can navigate the future, ensuring that her creative vision continues to inspire and influence long after she steps back from the helm.
