1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Conversations on life, style, beauty, and relationships. It's The Velvet's 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: Edge podcast with Kelly Henderson. Norma Kamali is here. I 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: was just telling you I'm such a big fan of 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: your work. If you knew how many pieces of your 5 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: designs that I have in my closet, you would be like, oh, well, 6 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: this is the perfect fit for this interview. Well, I'm 7 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: pleased to hear that. Yes, yes, and we were just talking. 8 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: You were also a cancer son and a Pisces rising, 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: isn't that what you tell me? So we both have 10 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: the cancer rising in our signs, which I have never 11 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: met anyone else who has as much water in their 12 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: chart as I do, and so it's so refreshing. I 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: guess here we are here, we are all the fields. 14 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: But but I think, um, you know, you have tourists 15 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: and balancing that, and I have Aquarius, and we're probably 16 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: perceived as tourists and aquarious more than we are, do 17 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Totally think. I think cancers 18 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 1: are always thought of as moms at home a ton 19 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: of kids, and sort of Pisces is passive and sweet, 20 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: and I mean not that we're not right, um, but 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: there are so many ways to nurture, and a lot 22 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: of it can be done through the work you do, 23 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: right through the work I do. Do you think that 24 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: that part of your chart is what stimulates your creativity, 25 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: because just like you said, I feel like my clients 26 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: get a lot of my mothering and nurturing. Do you 27 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: feel that way about your designs? Well? I think, um, 28 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: every designer has the experience of hearing stories from people 29 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: who wear the clothes, and you know, it could be 30 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: about meeting their soul, make or getting married and something 31 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: all of that. So there's something about clothes that hug 32 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: a human body. But I do think the um sort 33 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: of the wellness, healthy lifestyle part of what I do 34 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: is more of the nurturing, and UM my book, which 35 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: is a handbook for women, is more about serving women 36 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: and nurturing women through my experience. And uh so, I 37 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: think you're right. You do it with your clients, and um, 38 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: I do it through my communication, and it's probably a 39 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: good part of our purpose in his lifetime. Yes, I 40 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,239 Speaker 1: agree with you. I want to get into what you 41 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 1: just kind of touched on in a minute about all 42 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: of the things you're doing now I'm bringing to women specifically, 43 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 1: I love your mission with women. But I want to 44 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: give the people a backstory. If you guys don't know 45 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: Normakmali's work. She has been in the fashion industry forever 46 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: fifty years, your seventies six now, which is amazing. You 47 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 1: have amazing but away, thank you. UM so exciting. But 48 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: so you are born and raised New Yorker. Did you 49 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: always know you wanted to do fashion? I mean, I 50 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: know fashion is such a huge industry in New York 51 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: and basically, you know, everyone grows up thinking about New 52 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: York in relation to fashion. So did you always know 53 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: this was something you wanted to do? And no, I 54 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:27,399 Speaker 1: when I grew up, um, it was fifties and sixties 55 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: when I was like teens and um, and the fashion 56 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: at the time was um Madman fashion, you know, with 57 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: the that look and pantyhose and guarden belts and calm rocks. 58 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: I hated it. I absolutely did not like clothes and fashion. 59 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: But I was I wanted to be a painter, and 60 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: I was taking a lot of painting classes and anatomy classes, 61 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: and so I was learning how to draw the human form. 62 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: In my room had Michaelangelo drawings and everything that was 63 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: inspired by the human form. It wasn't until uh and 64 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: I wanted again to be a painter, and my mother 65 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: convinced me that she would not pay for anything if 66 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: I continued to be a painter, and so I had 67 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: to end up getting a scholarship, and I ended up 68 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: getting a scholarship to f I t as an illustrator. 69 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 1: My first job interview was just so horrible. The the 70 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: guy who was interviewing me was needing a tuna sandwich 71 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: with his feet up on the desk, and he said, 72 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: young lady, put your portfolio down and turn around for me. 73 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: And I just I heard my mother saying, get a job, 74 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 1: get a job, and he was the power in the room. 75 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: And I turned around and I started crying. I was 76 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: so humiliated that I did that that I lost my 77 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: dignity and allowed that to happen. And I ran out 78 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: and I said, this is not for me. I don't 79 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,799 Speaker 1: want to be in the fashion industry. And at the time, 80 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,919 Speaker 1: if you looked in the New York Times Classified section, 81 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: you could find jobs. And there was a job in 82 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: the office at an airline, and I thought, I want 83 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: to travel. I'm gonna see if I can get a job. 84 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: So I worked at a UNIVAC computer in the office 85 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: of Northwest Rian Airlines and I went to London every 86 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: weekend for twenty nine dollars round trip for four years. 87 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: And that's when that whole sixties revolution started and I 88 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: was there, I was inspired and I became a part 89 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 1: of it right away. Wow, So you kind of experienced 90 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 1: the me too moment before the me too moment, the 91 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: meat too moments there at a long or long term 92 00:05:56,080 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: I have a lot of meat too really insane um situations. 93 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: But you have to remember there's so much behind me too, 94 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: because first of all, our mothers and mothers raised the 95 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: boys that were behaving that way, right, But there's also 96 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: another part of it that a lot of the boys 97 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 1: had to go to Vietnam. They were losing their lives, 98 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: they were inducted into really tough situations. So there was 99 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: more than the idea that these guys are giving their lives, 100 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: so they did have a favor over women, do you 101 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: know what I mean. There was a consideration that we 102 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:49,119 Speaker 1: don't think about now because it is such a different time, 103 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 1: but the behavior um needed to be modified, needed to 104 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: be changed. But there were a lot of other circumstances 105 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 1: that sort of kept that a practice that we would 106 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: not tolerate. Now, Yeah, that makes still since I forgot 107 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 1: about the war piece of that, that would that really 108 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: does make sense. Yeah, the boys were getting enlisted. If 109 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: you look at the Ukraine now and you look at 110 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: the Russia, boys are getting inducted. They're just showsen to 111 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: go and that's not happening for women. So that's a 112 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: big thing that we don't talk about now, but that 113 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: that is a realistic kind of factor in in the 114 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: relationship between men and women. So once you started going 115 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: to London and realizing that fashion was something you were 116 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: really interested in, what was the transition or how did 117 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: you get involved in actually becoming a designer. Well, I 118 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: ended up, um being in a time and place where 119 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: music was changing. Um, I ended up meeting people that 120 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: were involved in music at the time, and um even 121 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: being in this club called Would Speak Easy where Jimmie 122 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: Hendricks Would was only musicians. And I met some musicians 123 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: who invited me to come to the club every weekend. 124 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: And I was very good friends with Jeff Beck and 125 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: a lot of the you know, the great people of 126 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: the time. And that inspiration and the clothing that I 127 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: was bringing back for friends so prior to this period, 128 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: nobody showed their knees in clothes, you know, the Madman. 129 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: Nobody showed their knees. And a good reason was, if 130 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: you're wearing stockings and a guard bell, it's not you know, 131 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: it's not going to be good that you see the 132 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: top of the stockings. And it just wasn't what was 133 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: happening London. I when I arrived, it was just beginning 134 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 1: to go through this transformation, and I started seeing skirts 135 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: mid sigh and faster than the spade of life. I 136 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: had hemmed my skirt up and I said, not, I'm 137 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: not happening here with this long skirt. And then I 138 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: started bringing clothes back, and all my friends just like 139 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: keep bringing stuff, and then other people heard about it. 140 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: So I opened a basement store for two and eighty 141 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: five dollars a month, and I painted the floor, and 142 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: the Salvation Army had this snake skin wallpaper and I 143 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: put that up, and these funky sort of display cabinets, 144 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 1: and I opened opened a little small space and I 145 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: would bring the clothes back and then I would say 146 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: in the third year of doing that, I started to 147 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: have my own ideas of things that I would like 148 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: to see that I wasn't seeing, and I begged. My 149 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: mother used to make my clothes, and we would fight 150 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: constantly about the styles I wanted and the stars she 151 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: thought I should be wearing. And I begged to to 152 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: help me make some things and they sold right away, 153 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: and so I got the bug, and I was sort 154 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: of that's this is it, this is it. I've got 155 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: to do this. And that's when I realized I felt 156 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: very comfortable about it. And then I had a full 157 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: page in Vogue and a full page in Harper's Bazaar. 158 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 1: And it's been six months that I've been making the clothes, 159 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: and I thought they're going to find out I don't 160 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: know what the hell I'm doing, and it will be over. 161 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: But I am so excited. So that was the beginning. 162 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: So you just so quickly got picked up. I've read 163 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: somewhere too. You are the one responsible for the fair 164 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: of Fawcet bathing suit, that red bathing suit in the 165 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,439 Speaker 1: iconic picture. I mean, it was there a moment other 166 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 1: than the moment you just mentioned, or you're like, oh 167 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: my gosh, this is actually gonna work. Well, you know, 168 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 1: I'm I'm still the sole owner of my company and 169 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 1: in order for that to happen and not have partners. 170 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: There were a lot of years where I thought, Okay, 171 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 1: tomorrow I'm going to be out of business, or I 172 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: require myself to sleep, and thinking how am I going 173 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: to pay for fabric? What am I going to do? 174 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: So there were a lot of lean years and with 175 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: but not without something wonderful happening at the same time, 176 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: like two full pages and magazines and I don't know 177 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 1: how I'm going to get fabric right or but so 178 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 1: it always whether it's whatever field, it could be music 179 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 1: or anything, that's what's happening. You're famous, but you're penniless 180 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: at the same time. So there was a period where 181 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: all of a sudden being underground to being out of 182 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: that sort of private little space happened when I was 183 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: doing um swimwork cover ups from my swimwork collection, and 184 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: as a swimmer, I would always wear my brother's sweatshirt 185 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: when I got out of the water, and at the time, 186 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: you can only buy sweatshirts like that at Army Navy 187 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: stores or Boys and Men's stores, and so I bought 188 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: gray sweatshirt fabric to make cover ups and I ended 189 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: up saying, oh wow, maybe I should make a gown, 190 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 1: Maybe I should make a jacket, Maybe I should make 191 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: a stute. And I had thirty six pieces out of 192 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 1: gray sweatshirt fabric. And no, this was still hangover time 193 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,199 Speaker 1: from Studio fifty four, where glitter and color was still popular, 194 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: so nobody was doing this. It was very different, and 195 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: I was copied so much at the time, and everybody was. 196 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: I would see Bloomingdale's would take my designs and make 197 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: money on it, and I wasn't able to like pay 198 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: the rent, and I thought, I can't show this to anybody. 199 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,719 Speaker 1: So I called Woman's Where and I asked them to 200 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: come and give me advice, and they said, don't show 201 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: it to anybody. You need to work with a manufacturer 202 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 1: who will help make this for you. And I met 203 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: this guy, a friend of mine, was a lawyer, and 204 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: I couldn't afford a lawyer. And he said, this is 205 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: what you asked for, this percentage, this royalty, this for advertising. 206 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: I had a little steno pad and we met and 207 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: he said, can I see the line? I said, no, 208 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: I can't actually show it to you and and he said, well, 209 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: Woman's Wear said it's I have to do it, So 210 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: what would you like, and I said I would like. 211 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: I took out my pad so naive and I said, 212 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: I'd like this royalty this minimum. Garon did that and 213 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: he said, okay, shook hands. Two weeks later, So then globally, um, 214 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, people knew me through this, not 215 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: anything I've done before. Wow. I love that you're saying 216 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: the truth about even if you have, you know, a 217 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: huge spread in Harper's Bazaar, you can't pay your rent, 218 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: because isn't that the life of a creative. It's just 219 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: like it looks so luxurious from the outside, and we 220 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: know that in the trenches, it's just not like that. 221 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: I know, I know. And it's usually the times when 222 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: people get awards or it's it's the it's the irony 223 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: of it all that it's at those times that you think, 224 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: oh my god, I'm going to get found out for sure, 225 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: you know, especially when you're in your thirties and you 226 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: haven't like by the time you get to forty, that 227 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: the thirties there's so much about making it till you 228 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: make it, you know, like I, let's see if I 229 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: can make my way through this. And then when you 230 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: get into your forties, your your identity is pretty sad, 231 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: and it's a time when you you can monetize your brand, 232 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: but there's a period of time throughout your life where 233 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: it's always up and down. It's never ever ever a 234 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: straight bar of even temperament, even events. So and the 235 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: process is learning and growing, right, the universe is teaching 236 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: us lessons and we have to stop doing certain things 237 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 1: and change, So the process is always there. And the 238 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: irony of getting credited when you're in the worst time 239 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: and when you're feeling the best, like nobody is paying attention, 240 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: so it's really it's crazy. And the expectations of a 241 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: creative life very often in fashion. If you go into 242 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: fashion schools, everybody wants to be rich and famous, and 243 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: it's like, okay, good do it, but then you maybe 244 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: need investors and partners, and then you don't have the 245 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: independence to do what you want. And I haven't ever 246 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 1: had anybody telling me what I should design or when 247 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: I should do it. But I've also had the responsibility 248 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: of learning how to run a business and being responsible 249 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: for that part of it, which I actually have learned 250 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: to enjoy, and I thought I'd never be qualified to 251 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: do that. Well, it's such a different mindset than the 252 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: designing mindset I would imagine. So it's like you have 253 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 1: this one side of you that's the creative looking at 254 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: silhouettes and all of the designs, and then the other 255 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: business side. It's like a totally different main function. How 256 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: do you balance that? It actually turned out to be, um, 257 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: my greatest asset because um, when I started, I got 258 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: married at nineteen, I left out that part. I'm married. 259 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: I married an Uranian student who was gorgeous and a 260 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 1: really good dancer, and we danced together great, and my 261 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: mother was menopausal, and you didn't just leave the house, 262 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,640 Speaker 1: you had to get married. So I cried the day 263 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: I got married because I knew it wasn't what I 264 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:29,360 Speaker 1: should be doing. But I married him and we we 265 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: He was lovely and like I said, gorgeous, but we 266 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:37,479 Speaker 1: were kids and he was helping what he we joined 267 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:41,439 Speaker 1: together for the for the store because while he was 268 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: going to school, you know, he had time to sell 269 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: the clothes in the store, and so it was that 270 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: kind of thing. And then eventually we grew in different ways, 271 00:17:54,000 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 1: and my independence as a designer and feeling confident that 272 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 1: eventually became threatening for him and nobody knew me. He 273 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: was the face of the company. Nobody. I was in 274 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 1: a sample room all the time. And eventually, UM, I 275 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 1: had to lead because it just you know, when your 276 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: husband is dating the sales girls that you fire and 277 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 1: he he hires them, and then they tell you what 278 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 1: they want you to make from for their design ideas. 279 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:36,880 Speaker 1: It's like, okay, I think I'm gonna go. And so 280 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: I left with ninety eight dollars to my name and 281 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: I had separated from him. So I had an apartment 282 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: that had a mattress, no curtains, and I was like, 283 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: now what do I do. I've never run a business. 284 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: I know nothing about it. Women didn't get loans from banks. 285 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: Then it was and and what did I have at 286 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: ninety eight dollars and press clippings like what is that? 287 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: And so I had to learn. I really had to 288 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,120 Speaker 1: learn how to run a business. But I also had 289 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: to learn to talk to people and tell people my 290 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 1: story because I kept everything in secret. I was so 291 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:23,640 Speaker 1: embarrassed by it. Um and then I learned that if 292 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: you tell your story, people actually want to help. And 293 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: and so I that transition was another very painful one, 294 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: and here I am with ninety eight dollars, and I 295 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: learned how to do business, and that door opened for 296 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:47,679 Speaker 1: me to meet this guy who was going to do 297 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:51,959 Speaker 1: the business, the sweatshirt business with me, which changed my 298 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: life completely. And that wouldn't have happened if I stayed right. 299 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:01,879 Speaker 1: And so I thank the girl who came in to 300 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: show me her designs, who was dating my husband with 301 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: a big ring and whatever, and I I thank her. 302 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:13,400 Speaker 1: At the time, I didn't want to thank her to say, 303 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,920 Speaker 1: but um, but I thank her for for being a 304 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: part of the catalysts to get me up and out 305 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: of there so that I could move on and be 306 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: where I should be going. Yeah, hindsight always makes it 307 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: a lot easier to see what the universe was actually 308 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 1: bringing to you. What did you how because you've had 309 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: such a long standing business, What were the things that 310 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: you would say to yourself in the moment to keep 311 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 1: going or to encourage yourself. Or when you said in 312 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: your thirties, you're kind of faking it till you make it. 313 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: I mean I really resonate with that. I'm about to 314 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 1: turn forty, but I'm finally feeling like, you know, like 315 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: I'm finally feeling like okay, figuring myself out. But that 316 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,360 Speaker 1: doesn't mean I still don't struggle with that little bit 317 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: of imposter syndrome. And so, what were the messages that 318 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: you would say to yourself to keep going and to 319 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 1: keep the business so successful? Well, I mean, you have 320 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: to if you're in a creative field, you have to 321 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:28,679 Speaker 1: be passionate about what you're doing. And I I still 322 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 1: love my job. I love my job, and I loved 323 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,919 Speaker 1: it then, and I knew I had so much that 324 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 1: I wanted to do, and so the idea of not 325 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: being able to have a voice and being able to 326 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: do it did just just was not something that I 327 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: wanted in my life. But at the time, there were 328 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: no women in my world or in the fashion industry 329 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 1: who were having their own business and designers and business 330 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:08,360 Speaker 1: people I didn't have. I didn't have anybody look at. 331 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: And so I just had to go on the passion 332 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: I felt. And so that's where you know the cancer pisces. 333 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: The feeling that I must do this, I love this 334 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: so much um really kept me going. And I I 335 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: realized if I wanted to do this, I had to 336 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:38,400 Speaker 1: learn about business. I had to understand how to integrate 337 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:41,959 Speaker 1: the business side of it. The creative side of it, 338 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: and I am so grateful for that. I don't think 339 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: I would be in business fifty five years if I 340 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 1: didn't have that, I would have partners and maybe not 341 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: be in business anymore. Like a lot of incredibly talented 342 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 1: designers who who had partners or investors, and then the 343 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 1: investors say, I'm I'm not going to take a chance 344 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:11,120 Speaker 1: for another season, and for me, I would scramble to 345 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 1: to make it happen so I could get to the 346 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:18,719 Speaker 1: next season if I needed to. So there are lots 347 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: of risks and rewards and sacrifices and big highs, but 348 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: that's part of the process. Through your thirties and in 349 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: your forties, what you have to look forward to is 350 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:41,439 Speaker 1: really fantastic because yes, uh today, I'm every time you 351 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: do something new, it's another risk, it's another scary thing, 352 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 1: or am I going to do it? So I'm always 353 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: trying to do new things. So I'm always having this 354 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:56,680 Speaker 1: impostor thing going on. But I'm a little bit more 355 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: experienced and and so now you are more experience. Instead, 356 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: as you get into your forties, your brand is clear 357 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 1: to you. It's now how do you monetize it? How 358 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: do you give it the value that it deserves now. 359 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 1: And and that's another fun episode that there's a lot 360 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:23,879 Speaker 1: of fun in that. And and there are other lessons 361 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,359 Speaker 1: to learn that are different from the thirties lessons. And 362 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: you're you've already gone through your sad and return when 363 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 1: you were thirties, so you you know how to go 364 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:40,399 Speaker 1: through a crisis. And so now you're you're not you know, 365 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: you're not naive in the in the way you were 366 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: when you were in your twenties and thirties. You're you're 367 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:52,360 Speaker 1: more savvy and you can negotiate for yourself to you 368 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: can you know, you know what it is you want 369 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,959 Speaker 1: and you can do it. And the thing is making 370 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 1: sure you're living up to your dream your goals and 371 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:09,239 Speaker 1: thinking about what that is and being clear about it 372 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 1: so that you don't meander and you just stay in 373 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 1: that road. Sometimes there's adjustments, but really being clear about 374 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:20,919 Speaker 1: your purpose and what you're meant to be doing in 375 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: this lifetime. Yeah, I love that. My best friend always 376 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 1: says when she turned forty was the moment she decided 377 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,400 Speaker 1: I have to start really taking a bet and believing 378 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,199 Speaker 1: in myself or else no one else is going to 379 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:37,120 Speaker 1: That's right good, and her entire career shifted. And now 380 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:40,919 Speaker 1: five years later, I see her just thriving and I 381 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 1: look forward to that and that, you know, like I'm 382 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: really trying to lean in right now to Okay, you're right, 383 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 1: like I am figuring out who I am and what 384 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:50,479 Speaker 1: my brand is and what I want to stand for, 385 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 1: and I'm going to start taking a bet on myself 386 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:58,159 Speaker 1: in order to to maintain UM. So when you on 387 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: your journey, you said you haven't sold, you haven't brought 388 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 1: in other people. Was there a moment where you were 389 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: offered that option? Did it seem enticing ever or what? 390 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 1: Why did you decide to stay on your own? Well? 391 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 1: It was always enticing, especially when I have no money, 392 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: right I think? Um? And you know there were fashion 393 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 1: shows are you know, excruciatingly expensive and um, and that's 394 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 1: the way designers show their collections. And I couldn't afford 395 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,159 Speaker 1: to do a fashion I did a few, but I 396 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: couldn't afford when I when I had the license agreement, 397 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 1: I had an incredibly huge budget, and even then I 398 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 1: didn't want to do fashion shows, so I did films. 399 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 1: Um that I still love that that we're really sort 400 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: of almost like sex in the city, little twenty minute 401 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: films showing the collection, and I thought that that was 402 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 1: going to be the thing that took over fashion shows. 403 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:11,399 Speaker 1: But I was wrong. But I couldn't. But for most 404 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 1: of my life I couldn't afford to do fashion shows, 405 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,760 Speaker 1: and so I had to be creative about the way 406 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: I did things. And then there were times where advertising 407 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: in these big budgets were really critical in the way 408 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: designers got recognition, and there were offers UM that were very, 409 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:39,360 Speaker 1: very enticing. I I did licenses in Europe and in Asia, 410 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 1: and that was a form of income, a sort of partnership, 411 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:48,400 Speaker 1: but not not really like somebody owning part of your business. 412 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:54,159 Speaker 1: And I always in the end decided, you know what, 413 00:27:55,520 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 1: I rather live a creative life UM and have free 414 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:08,399 Speaker 1: will more than anything. That's really what's important to me. 415 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: So I chose that. And I also chose to stay 416 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 1: in the background and not be a celebrity designer UM 417 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 1: because I felt that, first of all, I still feel 418 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 1: that way that my clothes are really the important thing, 419 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: and people wearing them, that combination is thrilling for me, 420 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,400 Speaker 1: and so I didn't want to be out funt and 421 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: I think that served me well too, because it's very 422 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: easy to get tired of celebrities and tired of designers, 423 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 1: and I think I would have gone in the waistpin 424 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 1: with a lot of other people along the way. But 425 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: being in the background and um, lasting fifty five years, 426 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 1: I think is a lot to do that. That's this 427 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: path I chose where I was quieter, doing my thing 428 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:11,239 Speaker 1: and letting everybody else shine and um and when my 429 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: clothes are worn, I love it. I love I love 430 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: seeing everybody. I love seeing people who are not famous 431 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:26,719 Speaker 1: and host on Instagram and look amazing. And I'm seeing 432 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 1: the range of clients I have, and I love seeing 433 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: celebrities where my clothes too and sort of create this 434 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: other magic that happens in those situations. Yeah, and that's 435 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 1: what That's one of the things I love about your brand. 436 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 1: Not only are your designs so unique, and you're actually 437 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 1: credited with things like making the shoulder pad popular in 438 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: the eighties, I mean huge fashion statements, and you know, 439 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: now we can see Sarah Jessica Parker still wearing your 440 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: stuff on this New Sex and the de reboot. But 441 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 1: for us normal people, the items are affordable and they're 442 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 1: very attainable for a normal lifestyle, which is something that 443 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 1: I've always so greatly appreciated because a girl who just 444 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: wants to look cool and feel good can still, you know, 445 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 1: attain these items and it's not so out of reach 446 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: for us regular folk, which is so exciting. I to me, 447 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 1: there very important parts of what I do. One is 448 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: I want the clothes to be timeless. My sleeping Bag 449 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 1: coat is still on in my collection I did in 450 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 1: ninety four out of my Sleeping Bag. That coat is 451 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: still a hot style. It's inspired a lot of a 452 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: lot of other big puffy coats, and so timeless style 453 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: is really important to me. Fit and quality are important 454 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: and affordable. I feel that talent and design does not 455 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 1: have to be expensive. If if I'm creative, I should 456 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 1: be able to make clothes that are fun to wear, 457 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: that can last forever in your wardrobe, that don't have 458 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: to be dry clean, that you can wash them. Dry 459 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: cleaning is a no no for me. It's like feeding 460 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: a dog. You know, you get a dog and then 461 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 1: you keep feeding it and feeding it well. Address should 462 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 1: not have to be subsidized. I mean, you just wash 463 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 1: it and done so. I think being practical about fashion 464 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: gives people the freedom to have fun with it, and 465 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 1: that it's not precious and it wasn't so expensive, and 466 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: that you can wash it if it gets dirty, so 467 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 1: you can sit on the floor. You can. We women 468 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 1: are much more versatile in the way they use their 469 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:58,719 Speaker 1: bodies and the way we behave and so I, you know, 470 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: I'm on the floor half the day fitting and doing things. 471 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 1: I I'm a very active person. I work out. I 472 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: like to do physical things. I don't want my clothes 473 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:16,520 Speaker 1: to be so precious that I can't wear this to 474 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: an event an evening or work out in it. I 475 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 1: want to be able to do both. And I think 476 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 1: that's what modern clothes should be about. That's so funny 477 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 1: that you mentioned those two examples, because I have one 478 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 1: of your jumpsuits. It's this velvet jumpsuit with this cute belt, 479 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 1: and I wear it to cocktail parties a lot, and 480 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: it's always a hit. I mean, it's got these pockets. 481 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: Everyone is constantly like, where where did you get that? 482 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 1: I wear it with a pair of lubatons, or I 483 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: could wear it to the gym because it's so comfortable 484 00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 1: and so cute that I can make it, you know, 485 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: street where throwing a pair of an Adidas shoe and 486 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,400 Speaker 1: walk down the street and it's so versatile, which I 487 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,840 Speaker 1: feel with all of your designs, and there's things that 488 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: I could wear all the time. And UM, like you said, 489 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: I just feel like that is such an important piece 490 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: of fashion, especially for you know, the people listening. I 491 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:11,800 Speaker 1: know I appreciate fashion so much, but I also needed 492 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: to be practical for my life. You know what's interesting 493 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: is UM, you're talking about UM, Sara Jessey Parker and UM. 494 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 1: And there the new show and UM at the beginning 495 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:31,200 Speaker 1: of the show, I saw some of my vintage pieces 496 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 1: there and I thought, oh, that's funny that there that 497 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 1: she's wearing vintage now. And and then there was a 498 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: photograph of her wearing distress we called the Diana Dress, 499 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:48,840 Speaker 1: and how she looked amazing in it, and she looked 500 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: modern and she looked powerful in her age and her everything. 501 00:33:55,200 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 1: And we have been struggling to and I mean, we're 502 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 1: making so many of those dresses before that and the 503 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,400 Speaker 1: supply chain issue, and we figured out a strategy of 504 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 1: how we're going to fill all these orders because it's 505 00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:15,680 Speaker 1: been a very popular dress, and increasingly through COVID it 506 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 1: even became more popular and then we figure it out 507 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:22,640 Speaker 1: and I see this picture and it's on the internet, 508 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:26,240 Speaker 1: and I'm like, oh my god, what are we gonna do? 509 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: And so, by some strange twist of fate, we decided 510 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:36,279 Speaker 1: to just invest in fabric and a few colors, and 511 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: one of the colors was that blue. And so the 512 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:46,320 Speaker 1: dress is very interesting because I did it in nineteen 513 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: seventy three and it was a different fabric and and 514 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:54,440 Speaker 1: it was very popular, and I made it, you know, 515 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:57,239 Speaker 1: the it didn't have a body suit inside the way 516 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: the new one has. And then I did it again needies, 517 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:05,480 Speaker 1: a little different, different fabric, did very well, and when 518 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:07,919 Speaker 1: I decided to do it again, I thought, I need 519 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,800 Speaker 1: to put the body suit in so there's real comfort 520 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:15,279 Speaker 1: and you don't have to think about anything. And then 521 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:20,560 Speaker 1: seeing all of the body types, pregnant women, everybody wearing 522 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 1: the dress and thinking, oh my god, incredible that such 523 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:31,760 Speaker 1: a diverse group of women and girls and body types 524 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 1: and everything, and it was just so wonderful to see. 525 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 1: And then coincidentally, on Valentine's Day, I bumped into Sarah 526 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 1: Jessica Parker at a restaurant and we had a great 527 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 1: conversation about the dress. And she's she wears my clothes, 528 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:55,280 Speaker 1: um two for other things too. So uh, we talked 529 00:35:55,280 --> 00:36:01,160 Speaker 1: about the power of aging and how you present yourself 530 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:05,520 Speaker 1: in that power physically to not just you know, the 531 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:11,800 Speaker 1: attitude of it, but um, she's got a tremendous opportunity 532 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:16,960 Speaker 1: in that shell to highlight the power of aging. And 533 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,759 Speaker 1: I and I we had a conversation about it, and 534 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:23,440 Speaker 1: I think we'll probably have more, but but it was 535 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:27,600 Speaker 1: really it was great to see her, especially after the 536 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 1: whole carry dress thing. Oh yeah, Well, let's talk a 537 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:35,360 Speaker 1: little bit about the power of aging because that was 538 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:37,440 Speaker 1: one of the parts of your story now that you 539 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: I love this mission that you're bringing to women of 540 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:44,040 Speaker 1: just owning your age and aging gracefully and all of 541 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:46,960 Speaker 1: the power in that. And I hear so much of 542 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: that in your story and how you've really embraced your journey. 543 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: What would you say two women who are just sitting here, 544 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:56,359 Speaker 1: Like I'm sitting here and going, oh, you know, I'm 545 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 1: turning forty and there's so much that's changed in my 546 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:01,480 Speaker 1: life the three years, and in so many ways I've 547 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 1: convinced myself that that means that I'm a failure or like, 548 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 1: oh God, it's too late, you know those mentalities. And 549 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:10,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm turning forties. So I love that you're laughing. 550 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:17,359 Speaker 1: This is great, So it's hysterical. Tell me why, tell 551 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 1: us why? Because I want to know what you've learned. 552 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:27,320 Speaker 1: So um, I think this is an important part of 553 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:32,080 Speaker 1: my communication with women and and and I'm really serious 554 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: about this. I at sixty five, I met my soul mate. 555 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:43,480 Speaker 1: I wasn't ready for him before. My friend the astrologer 556 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:49,400 Speaker 1: told me in that I would meet my soul mate 557 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 1: in my sixties, And I said, should I split my wrist? Now? 558 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 1: What do you think to make you don't know what 559 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: you're talking about? Yeah? Da da da da. I had 560 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:03,879 Speaker 1: boyfriends along the way, but I chose the direg of 561 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: life because the truth is, I wasn't ready for a 562 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:14,000 Speaker 1: real relationship yet. I was still developing and I had 563 00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:18,000 Speaker 1: stuff to do, my stuff, right, I had stuff to 564 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:21,759 Speaker 1: take care of. Now, I'm not saying wait till you're 565 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:25,480 Speaker 1: sixty five, then it will be great. It's different for everyone, 566 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:29,360 Speaker 1: so you cannot like at thirty, when we're all saying, 567 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 1: what the hell life is passing me by? Oh my god, 568 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:37,680 Speaker 1: and we're all crying because life is passing as by. 569 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:41,520 Speaker 1: That's the Saturn return, that's saying it's not the same 570 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 1: for everybody. This is a transformation that's different. So relationships, 571 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:52,920 Speaker 1: the relationship part of our growth and evolution is different 572 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:56,600 Speaker 1: for all of us. And I didn't think I was 573 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:58,880 Speaker 1: going to meet a pal make I really, I just 574 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,440 Speaker 1: thought it was the other people had it. And I 575 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 1: was actually okay because my friendships were great, and you know, 576 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:10,480 Speaker 1: I was dating interesting people and as long as I 577 00:39:10,520 --> 00:39:13,920 Speaker 1: wasn't thinking about marrying them, they could be stupid if 578 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:18,440 Speaker 1: they had to be or whatever. I'm I'm like, all right, whatever, um, 579 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:25,279 Speaker 1: but um, and I had great adventures, I have to say. 580 00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 1: But the development, our development through each decade is so important. 581 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:39,200 Speaker 1: The growth and development and the focus on your purpose 582 00:39:39,719 --> 00:39:44,480 Speaker 1: is the key. So I, like I said, I knew 583 00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:48,279 Speaker 1: I wanted a creative life. I knew it, always knew it. 584 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:52,000 Speaker 1: I wanted a creative life, and I didn't want people 585 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:57,280 Speaker 1: telling me how to be creative. And so the choices 586 00:39:57,400 --> 00:40:00,840 Speaker 1: I made and the decisions I made were based on 587 00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:06,239 Speaker 1: that right. So I did not take partners, I did 588 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:10,719 Speaker 1: not take investors. I did licenses because I still owned 589 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 1: my own company. But I didn't have partners, and those 590 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:20,759 Speaker 1: choices were made because I understood what was important to 591 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:25,440 Speaker 1: me and my moral fiber, what who I wanted to be. 592 00:40:26,080 --> 00:40:31,520 Speaker 1: And I think, I'm sure you know what that purpose is. 593 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:35,800 Speaker 1: Maybe you don't have it sort of smoothed out and perfect, 594 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:41,279 Speaker 1: but you know intuitively what that is. And you have 595 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 1: to keep that straight out of you so that the 596 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:49,200 Speaker 1: decisions you make, choices you make about your brand and 597 00:40:49,239 --> 00:40:54,560 Speaker 1: how you develop it, are really made with the core 598 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:59,560 Speaker 1: of who you are. When you feel like you're on 599 00:40:59,719 --> 00:41:04,480 Speaker 1: the haves for that and you love yourself right, when 600 00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 1: you understand self love, that's when that person who is 601 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:16,480 Speaker 1: going to love you comes into your life, because before 602 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:21,760 Speaker 1: you identify who you are, what your purpose is, and 603 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:27,360 Speaker 1: loving yourself, a lot of us don't really love ourselves 604 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:30,600 Speaker 1: in the way we should, so we attract people who 605 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:35,480 Speaker 1: don't really love us either. They play us, they heard us, 606 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:38,839 Speaker 1: They do things self in a self serving way. They 607 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:42,560 Speaker 1: see our weaknesses, they play into them. I have stories. 608 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:45,120 Speaker 1: We all have stories, but I have like lots of 609 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:49,279 Speaker 1: stories because older than you are. But but the point is, 610 00:41:50,239 --> 00:41:55,560 Speaker 1: it took me to six to deal with some issues 611 00:41:57,280 --> 00:42:03,200 Speaker 1: that had to do with really Asian ships, family relationships, 612 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:08,960 Speaker 1: those those one that the toxic family relationships that had 613 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:13,080 Speaker 1: me locked in. When I dealt with that, I was 614 00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:19,440 Speaker 1: sixty five and it took that long for me to 615 00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:23,320 Speaker 1: show love to myself and then to attract somebody who's 616 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:26,200 Speaker 1: going to love me in that way. So there's a 617 00:42:26,280 --> 00:42:30,279 Speaker 1: lot of work to do. Many people can do this 618 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:35,080 Speaker 1: faster than I did, so I don't want to depress everybody, 619 00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:41,040 Speaker 1: but the point being, I also understood that I learned 620 00:42:41,560 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 1: in the eighties when my friends were die of ads, 621 00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:51,360 Speaker 1: that healthy lifestyle was so critical to the immune system, 622 00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:57,640 Speaker 1: and and so I sought out um people who were 623 00:42:57,680 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: you know, Andrew wild is one of them, A lot 624 00:43:00,719 --> 00:43:07,160 Speaker 1: of these people who were early innovators in this practice 625 00:43:07,239 --> 00:43:10,840 Speaker 1: in this world, and I studied with them, and I UM, 626 00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:13,799 Speaker 1: I studied with Horse who developed the veta, and I 627 00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:18,960 Speaker 1: really became a student of healthy lifestyle. And I decided 628 00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:23,960 Speaker 1: to adopt that for me UM so that I could 629 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:27,759 Speaker 1: feel good in my body, that I could feel good 630 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:33,399 Speaker 1: about aging. So I have lines on my face, I 631 00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:39,279 Speaker 1: have I'm I show my age, even though people say, oh, 632 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:41,680 Speaker 1: you don't look your age, and I'm like, yeah, I do. 633 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:45,560 Speaker 1: Look my age. I am an example of my age 634 00:43:46,200 --> 00:43:50,200 Speaker 1: because this is an example of what seventy can look like. 635 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:56,960 Speaker 1: But it's it's loving yourself. So you eat properly, you 636 00:43:57,160 --> 00:44:01,239 Speaker 1: sleep properly, you do things, you work out, and you 637 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:05,319 Speaker 1: take care of your body. That's also self love. And 638 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:11,839 Speaker 1: if you can do that, aging feels powerful because my 639 00:44:11,960 --> 00:44:16,040 Speaker 1: mind has all of this information for all the years 640 00:44:16,960 --> 00:44:19,640 Speaker 1: of experience I have, so I can share it with 641 00:44:19,719 --> 00:44:23,200 Speaker 1: people and I can use it for new projects I'm 642 00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:33,560 Speaker 1: working on. Well, speaking of those new projects, let's talk 643 00:44:33,600 --> 00:44:37,080 Speaker 1: about the Wellness Cafe, because I think what you just 644 00:44:37,120 --> 00:44:40,719 Speaker 1: touched on about our immune systems and so much of 645 00:44:40,840 --> 00:44:43,920 Speaker 1: that has come up with COVID obviously, but when I 646 00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:46,799 Speaker 1: look at you, I'm like, Wow, you are showing such 647 00:44:46,840 --> 00:44:50,800 Speaker 1: a great example of something at seventy six, what seventies 648 00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:53,560 Speaker 1: six can look like. And the peace and calm and 649 00:44:53,640 --> 00:44:57,799 Speaker 1: just your demeanor even is so something that I would 650 00:44:57,800 --> 00:45:01,040 Speaker 1: want to strive to. And so what what have you 651 00:45:01,120 --> 00:45:03,239 Speaker 1: brought or what are you bringing to other people with 652 00:45:03,280 --> 00:45:05,879 Speaker 1: this wellness cafe and what are the lessons that you've 653 00:45:05,920 --> 00:45:10,360 Speaker 1: learned to get there? So I initially did the Wellness 654 00:45:10,440 --> 00:45:18,040 Speaker 1: Cafe UM after nine eleven because I realized after nine 655 00:45:18,040 --> 00:45:24,800 Speaker 1: eleven everybody's immune system would have a certain um tension, 656 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:30,799 Speaker 1: and that to compensate for that, there would have to 657 00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:36,080 Speaker 1: be a reckoning with lifestyle, and that eating properly and 658 00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:41,040 Speaker 1: understanding what fitness and you know the three pillars of 659 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:45,279 Speaker 1: the healthy lifestyle, sleep, diode, exercise what that means. And 660 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:49,160 Speaker 1: so I invited people to come speak. Uh. It was 661 00:45:49,200 --> 00:45:52,600 Speaker 1: a place where we had films and like minded people 662 00:45:52,719 --> 00:45:56,040 Speaker 1: came out of the woodwork, and I started to bring 663 00:45:56,080 --> 00:45:59,640 Speaker 1: in products that would be for instance, if you're going 664 00:45:59,680 --> 00:46:03,279 Speaker 1: to us your teeth, there's a lot of controversy around toothpaste, 665 00:46:03,360 --> 00:46:06,960 Speaker 1: right there's sugar and toothpaste, chemicals and toothpastes. So I 666 00:46:07,120 --> 00:46:11,680 Speaker 1: found a tooth soap that also pulled bacteria out of 667 00:46:11,719 --> 00:46:15,320 Speaker 1: your system. And we know gut health is very important, 668 00:46:15,320 --> 00:46:17,719 Speaker 1: and that was like, oh, this is a great thing 669 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:20,959 Speaker 1: to do in a mouth wash that alkaline to your 670 00:46:21,120 --> 00:46:24,760 Speaker 1: system while it was a mouth washing. So I started 671 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:30,799 Speaker 1: to um find all of these very interesting choices that 672 00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:37,800 Speaker 1: were immune boosters, and then UM the Wellness Cafe became 673 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:41,440 Speaker 1: a bigger part of other projects I was working on, 674 00:46:42,120 --> 00:46:46,560 Speaker 1: and then finally through COVID, I decided to put the 675 00:46:46,560 --> 00:46:50,440 Speaker 1: Wellness Cafe up on our website and put up some 676 00:46:50,640 --> 00:46:56,040 Speaker 1: of the mainstay products that I use every day of 677 00:46:56,120 --> 00:47:01,000 Speaker 1: my life. And what I've learned is the latest flavor 678 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:03,399 Speaker 1: of the month of new thing that's going to make 679 00:47:03,440 --> 00:47:07,040 Speaker 1: you look twenty years younger, whatever, thinner, and all of 680 00:47:07,080 --> 00:47:13,040 Speaker 1: this crazy shit is just crazy shit. It's not real. 681 00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:18,960 Speaker 1: It's some of it could be good, but timeless ingredients work. 682 00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:25,000 Speaker 1: And I have roa tested these things and I believe 683 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:27,680 Speaker 1: in them so that I still use them and I 684 00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:32,040 Speaker 1: will continue to use them, and I'm sharing them with everybody. 685 00:47:32,320 --> 00:47:37,239 Speaker 1: And so if you go to Normal Life UM and 686 00:47:37,280 --> 00:47:42,839 Speaker 1: the Wellness Cafe, you'll see them. And they're really worth trying. 687 00:47:43,040 --> 00:47:48,920 Speaker 1: They're really so valuable in that they not only boost 688 00:47:48,920 --> 00:47:52,719 Speaker 1: your immune system, but they make you feel good and 689 00:47:52,880 --> 00:47:57,879 Speaker 1: look good right away. Anything that's gonna work, And and 690 00:47:57,960 --> 00:48:00,919 Speaker 1: Stephen Gundry and I had this conversa station. If it's 691 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:04,799 Speaker 1: gonna work, it's gonna work right away. You don't have 692 00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:07,400 Speaker 1: to wait two weeks to see if the wrinkle goes away. 693 00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:09,799 Speaker 1: You don't have to wait a month to see if 694 00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:13,480 Speaker 1: whatever it is it's gonna work. It's gonna work. And 695 00:48:13,960 --> 00:48:18,440 Speaker 1: I think that's really what people need to understand is 696 00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:23,040 Speaker 1: try something, if it works, be loyal to it. You 697 00:48:23,080 --> 00:48:25,040 Speaker 1: don't have to jump around. You don't have to have 698 00:48:25,120 --> 00:48:28,719 Speaker 1: a drawer full of products that are in a graveyard 699 00:48:28,800 --> 00:48:32,520 Speaker 1: of things you're never going to use again. Be realistic 700 00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:38,160 Speaker 1: about timeless ingredients because they're timeless for a reason, right, 701 00:48:38,239 --> 00:48:44,239 Speaker 1: they work. So I UM, I have had a lot 702 00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:47,880 Speaker 1: of experience and searching for these things. I spent a 703 00:48:47,880 --> 00:48:53,600 Speaker 1: lot of time in olive orchards UM learning about the 704 00:48:53,680 --> 00:48:57,880 Speaker 1: value of olive oil and UM the value of t 705 00:48:58,200 --> 00:49:01,120 Speaker 1: These are two things that are inside outside, right, you 706 00:49:01,200 --> 00:49:06,160 Speaker 1: can use them both internally and externally. And so I've 707 00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:13,760 Speaker 1: made products using UM these ingredients, and I also source 708 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:18,160 Speaker 1: products I have. There's a product called Green Vibrance, which 709 00:49:18,239 --> 00:49:22,200 Speaker 1: is a powder, a green powder I use and it's 710 00:49:22,520 --> 00:49:28,880 Speaker 1: packed packed with nutrition and it's an old school powder. 711 00:49:29,080 --> 00:49:34,319 Speaker 1: I mean that it's like from the seventies. But they 712 00:49:34,520 --> 00:49:39,839 Speaker 1: a couple, a great couple bought the company about ten 713 00:49:39,920 --> 00:49:46,200 Speaker 1: years ago and they sort of upgraded everything and the 714 00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:50,759 Speaker 1: the ingredients are fantastic and UM and if you have 715 00:49:51,040 --> 00:49:57,600 Speaker 1: that every day, it's like, you know, it's great for 716 00:49:57,640 --> 00:50:03,400 Speaker 1: every cell in your body, for your hair, your eyes, bones, everything, 717 00:50:03,640 --> 00:50:07,640 Speaker 1: and so all of these things can add to this 718 00:50:07,719 --> 00:50:11,480 Speaker 1: little regimen that you put together for yourself. And when 719 00:50:11,480 --> 00:50:14,280 Speaker 1: you feel different and you see that you look different, 720 00:50:15,480 --> 00:50:20,040 Speaker 1: why not buy into it and and treat yourself that 721 00:50:20,120 --> 00:50:26,560 Speaker 1: way without it being a big twelve step or deal. Right. Yeah, 722 00:50:26,719 --> 00:50:28,520 Speaker 1: I love that and you guys can go find all 723 00:50:28,520 --> 00:50:32,040 Speaker 1: of these products are the Wellness Cafe enormous website. It's 724 00:50:32,080 --> 00:50:35,880 Speaker 1: Normacamali dot com. Um. I'm just such a fan of you. 725 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:37,840 Speaker 1: I'm such a fan of your designs in general, but 726 00:50:37,880 --> 00:50:40,200 Speaker 1: now I'm learning more about you as a person and 727 00:50:40,280 --> 00:50:43,200 Speaker 1: just this aging with power. I'm so grateful that you're 728 00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:46,480 Speaker 1: bringing that to women because I feel like the pressure 729 00:50:46,520 --> 00:50:49,800 Speaker 1: that we put on ourselves to hit certain mall markers, 730 00:50:49,840 --> 00:50:52,560 Speaker 1: you know, like by thirty you should be married. And 731 00:50:52,600 --> 00:50:54,520 Speaker 1: I love hearing that you met your soul made at 732 00:50:54,560 --> 00:50:57,640 Speaker 1: sixty five because that's when you actually knew yourself and 733 00:50:57,680 --> 00:51:01,560 Speaker 1: everyone's journey is just so different and that's what we 734 00:51:01,560 --> 00:51:04,120 Speaker 1: should lean into. That's where the true power is. So 735 00:51:04,520 --> 00:51:08,880 Speaker 1: tell people where else they can keep up with you. Well, Um, 736 00:51:09,120 --> 00:51:12,680 Speaker 1: you can follow me on Instagram and see what's going on. 737 00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:21,720 Speaker 1: You know, Kelly, I have a question for you. Sure 738 00:51:21,920 --> 00:51:26,319 Speaker 1: what So what is your brand? You know? That is 739 00:51:26,360 --> 00:51:28,880 Speaker 1: so interesting that you asked, because as you were speaking 740 00:51:28,920 --> 00:51:31,480 Speaker 1: about that, UM, he said to me, I think you 741 00:51:31,520 --> 00:51:34,920 Speaker 1: know what your brand is. And I when I've mentioned 742 00:51:35,000 --> 00:51:37,640 Speaker 1: the last three years a lot of it shifting, it has, 743 00:51:37,800 --> 00:51:41,280 Speaker 1: and so much of it was really heavy fashion based 744 00:51:41,520 --> 00:51:45,440 Speaker 1: and outer beauty based. And part of what I do 745 00:51:45,560 --> 00:51:48,360 Speaker 1: believe I'm meant to bring to this world, just like 746 00:51:48,440 --> 00:51:51,520 Speaker 1: we were saying before, is really looking at the insides 747 00:51:51,600 --> 00:51:57,279 Speaker 1: and the internal beauty and um, just the feelings and 748 00:51:57,360 --> 00:52:00,319 Speaker 1: being okay and comfortable in our feelings and of ourselves. 749 00:52:00,400 --> 00:52:03,040 Speaker 1: And so that is what I want my brand to 750 00:52:03,080 --> 00:52:06,680 Speaker 1: become because I'm very comfortable speaking about those things and 751 00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:12,279 Speaker 1: I didn't really realize how rare that was until now. So, UM, right, 752 00:52:12,800 --> 00:52:16,919 Speaker 1: that's what I'm shifting towards. Very good. That's great. I 753 00:52:16,960 --> 00:52:21,120 Speaker 1: think you know, the more you talk about what that 754 00:52:21,160 --> 00:52:25,800 Speaker 1: brand is, the more you'll find yourself formulating it and 755 00:52:27,640 --> 00:52:31,400 Speaker 1: seeing it come to like. So I think it's important 756 00:52:31,440 --> 00:52:36,080 Speaker 1: that you talk about it and and um and see 757 00:52:36,239 --> 00:52:40,759 Speaker 1: people's reactions and and get feedback with that. A lot 758 00:52:40,800 --> 00:52:44,640 Speaker 1: of times taking a concept and then of course never 759 00:52:44,719 --> 00:52:49,880 Speaker 1: forgetting what you know self love what it is. You know, 760 00:52:49,960 --> 00:52:53,360 Speaker 1: what is your purpose? How do you see your purpose? 761 00:52:53,520 --> 00:52:58,719 Speaker 1: Obviously nurturing is you know, part of the our characteristics, 762 00:52:58,719 --> 00:53:02,040 Speaker 1: but what is your purpose? So that you stay on 763 00:53:02,280 --> 00:53:06,359 Speaker 1: point with it? Um, and then you know it will 764 00:53:06,440 --> 00:53:10,600 Speaker 1: happen very quickly too, because it's a it's amazing as 765 00:53:10,680 --> 00:53:15,080 Speaker 1: you get forty. I remember thirty nine to forty really well, 766 00:53:15,640 --> 00:53:20,520 Speaker 1: like I remember thirty really well too, and all of 767 00:53:20,520 --> 00:53:24,480 Speaker 1: a sudden it goes it's like a m yeah, and 768 00:53:25,680 --> 00:53:31,400 Speaker 1: so you need to be very active about it. You 769 00:53:31,440 --> 00:53:34,759 Speaker 1: need to be very put a lot of energy into it. 770 00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:39,680 Speaker 1: Don't waste any don't waste a minute on distractions. Okay, 771 00:53:40,600 --> 00:53:43,160 Speaker 1: that's really good advice because I'm amazing a lot of 772 00:53:43,200 --> 00:53:47,759 Speaker 1: minutes on distractions. I'll do that not now, yeah, so 773 00:53:47,880 --> 00:53:53,560 Speaker 1: now you can't. So basically, when you figured out what 774 00:53:53,600 --> 00:53:56,520 Speaker 1: you wanted your brand to be, you just started talking 775 00:53:56,520 --> 00:53:58,920 Speaker 1: about it and staying true to it. Did you write 776 00:53:58,920 --> 00:54:02,360 Speaker 1: it down somewhere then start speaking about it to people 777 00:54:02,480 --> 00:54:05,560 Speaker 1: or how did that work? So in my case, I 778 00:54:06,160 --> 00:54:12,359 Speaker 1: had my business right and um, and so I went 779 00:54:12,480 --> 00:54:16,040 Speaker 1: through and I've had the same business, but obviously, the 780 00:54:16,080 --> 00:54:21,240 Speaker 1: business can't stay the same. So every time I am 781 00:54:21,280 --> 00:54:26,360 Speaker 1: thinking of a new idea or a new direction, it's 782 00:54:26,840 --> 00:54:30,080 Speaker 1: I I I have to make a leap. I have 783 00:54:30,160 --> 00:54:34,520 Speaker 1: to invest in myself, right, I have to make make 784 00:54:34,680 --> 00:54:38,200 Speaker 1: changes or do something different, just like you're going to 785 00:54:38,280 --> 00:54:43,839 Speaker 1: be doing. And in the process of doing that, I 786 00:54:43,920 --> 00:54:49,440 Speaker 1: need to sound off, right. I need to talk to people. 787 00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:52,799 Speaker 1: Sometimes it can be a confidant. Sometimes it could be 788 00:54:52,840 --> 00:54:58,279 Speaker 1: an astrologer. Quite frankly, Um, for me, my astrologer was 789 00:54:58,520 --> 00:55:02,840 Speaker 1: super helpful, um, because I've known her for so long 790 00:55:03,080 --> 00:55:09,640 Speaker 1: and she would give me good feedback, and I would 791 00:55:09,719 --> 00:55:11,839 Speaker 1: talk to her about what I was thinking about, and 792 00:55:11,920 --> 00:55:15,479 Speaker 1: she would she would clue me into timing. She would 793 00:55:15,520 --> 00:55:19,479 Speaker 1: clue me into be careful of people you meet right now, 794 00:55:19,719 --> 00:55:24,200 Speaker 1: or things like that. So I treasure the help I've 795 00:55:24,239 --> 00:55:28,720 Speaker 1: gotten through astrology, even though all those years people would 796 00:55:28,719 --> 00:55:31,560 Speaker 1: make fun of me if I asked them. Their son 797 00:55:31,640 --> 00:55:38,160 Speaker 1: was like, Cooky, you're so funny. La. Yeah, all right, um, 798 00:55:38,960 --> 00:55:42,680 Speaker 1: But but I would use if you if you feel 799 00:55:42,760 --> 00:55:47,560 Speaker 1: good about your astrologer, I would use that person. And 800 00:55:47,600 --> 00:55:50,839 Speaker 1: then there are people who are wise that you know. 801 00:55:51,520 --> 00:55:55,240 Speaker 1: There are people or that you don't even know I've 802 00:55:55,320 --> 00:55:59,680 Speaker 1: made I call people today that I don't know that 803 00:56:00,120 --> 00:56:04,360 Speaker 1: doing something that I think is really fantastic and I 804 00:56:04,480 --> 00:56:06,799 Speaker 1: want to learn about I want to know about it 805 00:56:07,360 --> 00:56:13,040 Speaker 1: um and I've learned so much from total strangers that 806 00:56:13,160 --> 00:56:16,920 Speaker 1: become friends. So you have to not be shy about 807 00:56:16,960 --> 00:56:19,440 Speaker 1: that either. So what if they say no and they don't, like, 808 00:56:19,760 --> 00:56:23,040 Speaker 1: what are you losing? You're not losing anything, but you 809 00:56:23,160 --> 00:56:27,000 Speaker 1: have to sort of just go for it and and 810 00:56:27,200 --> 00:56:30,640 Speaker 1: reach out somebody's doing something or feel like you can 811 00:56:30,680 --> 00:56:33,520 Speaker 1: call me or send me, you know, like you know what, 812 00:56:33,640 --> 00:56:36,560 Speaker 1: heads up, I have a question, ask me the question, 813 00:56:36,800 --> 00:56:40,840 Speaker 1: tell you what I'm thinking, You get feedback. Nobody Nobody 814 00:56:40,880 --> 00:56:45,480 Speaker 1: will say no. I promise you they don't. They don't. 815 00:56:45,520 --> 00:56:49,920 Speaker 1: People want to help people, but you have to, like 816 00:56:50,000 --> 00:56:54,000 Speaker 1: I learned to tell my story to get help. That's 817 00:56:54,120 --> 00:56:58,560 Speaker 1: now you need to just this is what I'm thinking. 818 00:57:00,080 --> 00:57:04,040 Speaker 1: What kind of feedback? Get asked questions. But it doesn't 819 00:57:04,040 --> 00:57:06,799 Speaker 1: have to be girlfriends that you're asking. If this has 820 00:57:06,840 --> 00:57:09,319 Speaker 1: to be you want to get You want to get 821 00:57:09,800 --> 00:57:13,080 Speaker 1: different feedback from people in the know, and they may 822 00:57:13,200 --> 00:57:18,280 Speaker 1: come up with ideas and suggestions that you didn't even 823 00:57:18,400 --> 00:57:23,840 Speaker 1: think about. That just are opportunities that are great. So 824 00:57:23,920 --> 00:57:27,160 Speaker 1: you have nothing to lose now because you have a brand. 825 00:57:28,000 --> 00:57:31,280 Speaker 1: It's not you're not thirty five, right, You're you have 826 00:57:31,440 --> 00:57:36,960 Speaker 1: a brand. So now make it happen and be aggressive 827 00:57:37,000 --> 00:57:41,520 Speaker 1: about it. Make calls, talk to people, reach out, ask 828 00:57:41,600 --> 00:57:44,120 Speaker 1: somebody who knows somebody. Hey, you know, I'd love to 829 00:57:44,160 --> 00:57:47,240 Speaker 1: meet that person. I'd love to ask him a few questions. 830 00:57:47,400 --> 00:57:52,640 Speaker 1: Would you mind doing the introduction? M hm, nothing to lose, 831 00:57:54,000 --> 00:57:56,280 Speaker 1: that's gonna be. That's gonna go in my mirror. Nothing 832 00:57:56,360 --> 00:58:03,600 Speaker 1: to lose, ask the question. True, that's true. That is so, 833 00:58:03,760 --> 00:58:07,240 Speaker 1: that's and that's It's a lot of fun too, it 834 00:58:07,320 --> 00:58:09,560 Speaker 1: really is. I'm gonna trust you on that one till 835 00:58:09,600 --> 00:58:14,760 Speaker 1: I believe it myself. Right, try it, Okay, I will, 836 00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:17,760 Speaker 1: I will. Thank you so much. Thank you such a 837 00:58:17,880 --> 00:58:19,760 Speaker 1: joy and such a gift for me to have this 838 00:58:19,840 --> 00:58:23,000 Speaker 1: conversation for so many reasons. But I really appreciate you 839 00:58:23,040 --> 00:58:25,680 Speaker 1: being here. I hope you guys go check out Norma. 840 00:58:25,760 --> 00:58:28,560 Speaker 1: It's Norma Camali dot com and then on Instagram you're 841 00:58:28,600 --> 00:58:33,080 Speaker 1: at Norma camally correct. Okay, thank you so much again, 842 00:58:33,240 --> 00:58:36,560 Speaker 1: Thank you, Kelly, good luck to keep in touch well. 843 00:58:36,680 --> 00:58:39,880 Speaker 1: Thank you thanks for listening to The Velvet's Edge podcast 844 00:58:39,920 --> 00:58:42,880 Speaker 1: with Kelly Henderson, where we believe everyone has a little 845 00:58:42,960 --> 00:58:47,080 Speaker 1: velvet and a little edge. Subscribe for more conversations on life, style, 846 00:58:47,280 --> 00:58:51,480 Speaker 1: beauty and relationships. Search Velvet's Edge wherever you get your podcasts.