As anyone who has donned a coat inspired by sleeping bags or a dress made of parachutes knows, Norma Kamali is the New York designer behind decades of pioneering trends. But one need not care a whit about fashion to know her work. Remember that 1970s poster of Farrah Fawcett in a red one-piece bathing suit? Those itty-bitty fringe shorts on Beyoncé in her "Run the World (Girls)" video? The vintage wedding dress Lady Gaga wore in her "You and I" video? All Kamali.
Yet one of the most enduring threads in Ms. Kamali's life has nothing to do with prêt-à-porter: olive oil. "I've had this obsession with olive oil my whole life," she said. Her mother, who was Lebanese, used it as a massage oil, moisturizer, salt scrub and digestive aid. She slathered olive oil in Ms. Kamali's hair to protect it in the summer, and she kept olive oil in the fridge so her daughter could spread it on bread. She even used it to strip paint off furniture.
As an adult, Ms. Kamali spent years scouring stores for soaps and creams made with olive oil, though her quest truly began in 2001, during the World Series at Yankee Stadium. She happened to be sitting near a man from Barcelona, Spain, who mentioned that he was planning to bring the best oils from the olive belt in southern Europe to the states. Ms. Kamali revealed her olive obsession and soon had herself an invitation to tag along.
So began the first of what would become a decade of road trips from Barcelona along the coast of Spain and into France and Italy. But of all the orchards that Ms. Kamali has ever visited along the way, her favorite is in Provence, in the South of France, where she thinks the best olive oil in the world is made. "If there was a description of what heaven looks like," she said, "I would say this is it."
THE DESTINATION
Ms. Kamali's Provence is an autumnal watercolor of what she describes as endless vineyards against a backdrop of mountains and sea. France's sole A.O.C. (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) olive-oil designation — a sought-after status that verifies the oil's contents, as well as the method and origin of production — is in Provence. The region is also home to five of France's seven A.O.P. (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) olive-oil designations, a classification system used throughout the European Union.
WHY SHE GOES BACK
Despite having been to orchards from Spain to Italy, Ms. Kamali always returns to Provence for the quality of the oil, the taste of which depends on many factors, including sun (is the orchard on the shady side of a hill?), terrain (are the trees on flat land?) and neighbors (what's planted nearby?). "In France it's often living next to lavender," Ms. Kamali said, "so there are some olive oils that have a lavender scent."
The fragrance may be delicate, but "the olive trees are in themselves just very stoic," she said.
"They lasted through wars and all kinds of weather conditions," she continued. "History just counts the olive tree as part of the marking of time."
When in Provence, Ms. Kamali stays at a friend's chateau, but she said that you can still immerse yourself in the culture by staying at a villa on an orchard.
According to a spokeswoman for the French government tourist office, lodging options include Le Domaine du Clos d'Alari, which produces olive oil, wine and truffles, and Domaine de Villemus, a producer of olive oil, wine, almonds and lavender.
"People that live for and in the olive orchards are quite special," Ms. Kamali said. "They are surrounded by a part of history that dates back to the Bible. It is almost spiritual."
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES
Some trips call for bar hopping. This one, orchard hopping.
"In most vineyards you can go in with an empty bottle, and you can fill your bottle with wine or olive oil," she said. A couple of orchards open to the public are Le Moulin Fortuné Arizzi, the gold-medal winner as the top French olive-oil producer at the New York International Olive Oil Competition, and Moulin Castelas, which won a silver award, according to the French tourist office. (A list of olive producers can be found at visitprovence.com.)
For an adventurous traveler, Ms. Kamali suggested visiting in November and December. "It's harvest time, and they're always looking for a helping hand," she said. "You can actually participate in harvest."
FAVORITE FOODS
Ms. Kamali likes to eat outside "under the sky on a large wooden table," with "bowls of food, and, of course, olive oil and olives." A delightful way to finish off a meal, she said, is with olive-oil ice cream, sold in local shops.
"It's salty and sweet at the same time," she said. "It has pine nuts in it, and it's just awesome."
Ms. Kamali also recommended a simple treat made by a friend — a French biscuit with lavender sprinkled inside. "It's great with tea or coffee," she said. "It's great with Champagne, too."
If you're an olive-oil novice, Ms. Kamali offered some advice: "The best way to taste olive oil is exactly the same as tasting wine." Connoisseurs, she explained, taste the oil unadulterated. "You take a little spoon, you suck that in, you breathe in the aroma," she said, and then wait to experience the first, second and third aftertastes.
THE PERFECT SOUVENIR
Isn't it obvious?
In addition to stocking up on olive oil for herself, Ms. Kamali orders some to sell online and in her Manhattan store, where customers can try it on popcorn. In November in her store she's planning a free harvest-time olive-oil tasting; she'll also talk about the differences in flavor. "We'll have tons of popcorn and strawberries," she said. (Strawberries are the primary ingredient in another one of her pleasures: strawberries with olive oil, powdered sugar and mint leaves.)
MUST-DO
"You need to get yourself a good olive facial and a good olive-oil massage," Ms. Kamali said. "There are a lot of spas in the South of France. They use a little bit of salt as exfoliation. It's just the best massage."
Also: rent a car.
"The beauty of the South of France must really be taken in with a drive through the region," Ms. Kamali said, suggesting the route along the coast. "From Marseille to Monaco, there are beautiful vistas, great towns and gorgeous food."
Steal My Vacation is a new column devoted to tastemakers and their favorite getaways.
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