During a preview of her resort 2026 collection, Norma Kamali said that this season she was thinking about the United States’ “very small” history in fashion.

“The movies, the classic films, were really the history of American fashion,” she said, noting at almost 80 years old, she was fortunate to see many of these films in her early childhood, with her mother. 

“She had a hair salon for a while, and she did Marcel waves. She did them in my hair, too, If I begged her and cleaned the kitchen,” the designer added of her mother, whose wavy ‘dos were front and center throughout the designer’s look book, colored in a shade of “Irish Setter” orange — one of Kamali’s personal favorite hair colors she donned earlier in life.

Like this familial nod, the collection overall was a tribute not only to classic American fashion, but also Kamali’s timeless designs. Through the latter, her daywear spanned from great outerwear and colorful faux leather layers to the return of sporty styles à la color-blocked body-con catsuits, leggings, bras and more. 

“Coats, swimwear and active are my DNA, but the real focus of what we do is everything else,” Kamali said of the selection, noting she’s interested in potentially building the category further.

Elsewhere, it was resort’s eveningwear that proved to be the strongest ode to Old Hollywood’s glamorous energy, with her modern sirens donning an array of great dresses, as in shimmering paillette mermaid gowns; sheer, vampy sequin-adored black numbers; jewel-toned slip dressing, and playful fringed frocks. 

“If you look at it, it could be any of these roles — these could be women in these classic films, but very much today, at the same time. It’s really not vintage what I’m trying to do with it, but I’m just saying we are grateful for our fashion history,” Kamali explained of her ‘20s, ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘70s memory-driven influences. “Every red carpet [today] is a direct energy from any of those classic films.”