Style USA: Alabama Chanin
(Beautiful hand stitching on an Alabama Chanin piece.)
I recently heard this story about organic cotton and the new “field-to-garment” movement, and after doing a bit of research, soon fell in love with the work of Alabama Chanin. An established designer, Natalie Chanin moved back to her hometown of Florence, Alabama, once a major hub in the garment industry, and began working with local seamstresses to create a line of clothing and goods made from locally-grown, organic cotton. It’s a beautiful story that really comes full circle, and the pieces themselves are absolutely exquisite.
(The Francis Dress by Alabama Chanin.)
Alabama Chanin’s main collection is truly art, and was inspired by photographs of southern families from the 1930s and 1940s. Each piece is made-to-order and hand sewn, and the detailing is beautiful. Chanin’s company is a mainstay in the slow clothing movement, and each piece is literally one of a kind. There are several other lines with more affordable, machine-sewn options, though all of the products reflect the company’s focus on sustainability.
(Gorgeous pieces from Alabama Chanin.)
I’m incredibly impressed with Alabama Chanin and I only wish I’d discovered the line sooner. New pieces are debuting Tuesday, and if you’d like to see more, be sure to peruse the lookbook and watch this short video, too.
[…] written about my love for Alabama Chanin’s designs here and here, and over the past several months, I’ve collected a few pieces. I find the entire […]
[…] to utilize the southern states’ textile industry as her line expands. This reminds me of Alabama Chanin’s return to her hometown, which helped to revitalize the organic cotton and garment industries in Alabama on a more personal […]
That is gorgeous! I love eyeivthrng Alabama Chanin style 🙂 I’ve had some sort of relief/reverse applique pillow on my agenda for a while now. Last summer I collected various shades of white, gray, and off-white jersey to make it happen, but it never did. Maybe this will be the year!!