Natalie “Alabama” Chanin graduates from the School of Design at North Carolina State University with a double major in Environmental and Textile Design. Today, this is called the Anni Albers Program in honor of the beloved Bauhaus textile designer. After graduation, she works in the junior sportswear industry on New York’s 7th Avenue.
 
In 2021, Natalie founds a scholarship fund at North Carolina State University’s College of Design. The design scholarship is a need-based program to aid students pursuing an undergraduate degree—preferably with an interest in textile design—who have exhibited perseverance in overcoming obstacles such as becoming first-generation college students, being from a single-parent household, or being single parents in pursuit of higher education.
 
Contributions to this scholarship fund can be made <a href="https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1209/give19/form.aspx?sid=1209&amp;gid=214&amp;pgid=7348&amp;cid=11690&amp;bledit=1&amp;sort=1&amp;dids=10941&amp;appealcode=LB003360">here</a>.
 
Photo above from Natalie’s 1990 Fulbright Scholarship application portfolio.

School of Design and Early Work Life, 1987

Natalie works as a fashion stylist and costume designer for photography, television commercials, music videos, and film. With photographer Sissi Farassat, she directs her first short documentary film, “Fertility,” a seven-minute exploration of the relationship between women and fertility. In 1999, in collaboration with Fish Film, Vienna, Natalie and Sissi direct four 30-second television commercials to raise awareness about AIDS for <a href="https://lifeplus.org/en/front-2/">Life Ball</a>. This commercial campaign goes on to win an award for excellence in advertising. This work inspires and partially funds the making of the documentary film “Stitch.”
 
In November of 1999, Natalie embarks on a four-month sabbatical focused on writing, photography, film, and travel documentary. Beginning in her hometown of Florence, Alabama, traveling to Los Roques, and other parts of Venezuela, the trip culminates in a month of exploration in New York City. 
 
Explore Sissi Farassat’s artwork via the Bildhalle Gallery <a href="https://www.bildhalle.ch/en/kuenstler/sissi-farassat-322">here</a> and follow her adventures <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sissifarassat/?hl=en">@sissifarassat</a>.
Learn more about Life Ball <a href="https://lifeplus.org/en/front-2/">here</a>.
 
Photos above are portraits shot during the filming of the Life Ball awareness campaign—produced in collaboration with fishfilm.at—which closed its offices in  ADD YEAR.  Press photo of Sissi and Natalie by <a href="http://www.udotitz.com/#/portraits/">Udo Titz</a>.

Photography and Film, 1990-1999

On a snowy night, Natalie arrives, with just a backpack, in Brooklyn Heights for the final leg of her sabbatical. She begins a self-portrait project exploring photography and writing across the boroughs of New York City. 
One day, Natalie cuts up a t-shirt from her adventures and sews it back together again by hand, creating the first shirt of the collection that would become Project Alabama and, eventually, Alabama Chanin. Finding inspiration in the act of handwork, the next morning she makes another shirt; the next day, another.

Venezuela to Brooklyn, 1999

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Natalie arrives in Alabama to a three-bedroom, ranch-style house rented from her maternal aunt, located in a small community immediately outside of Florence, Alabama, called Lovelace Crossroads, with a population of just over 200 people. Initially overgrown with vines, the house, built by her paternal grandfather, could only be accessed by making a pathway with a chainsaw. Over weeks, it is transformed into a home and office, eventually becoming a hub for video production, t-shirt production, and sewing. 
 
The house, near Natalie’s childhood home, becomes the official design studio and production office for the t-shirt collection and “Stitch,” the documentary film. An advertisement runs in the local newspaper, the Times Daily, looking for part-time hand sewers and quilters. Twenty local artisans begin sewing the collection of 200 corset-style t-shirts to be presented at New York Fashion Week in February of 2001. 
 
Listen to Natalie tell the story of her arrival in Alabama on <a href="https://player.themoth.org/#/?actionType=ADD_AND_PLAY&amp;storyId=290">The Moth</a>.

Alabama, 2000

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While seeking out former quilters in and around northwest Alabama, Natalie also interviews people about the act of quilting and its impact. The oral histories capture stories of how community members learned to quilt, examine the role quilting played within the community, share family histories, and reveal much about life in the region. The produced documentary brings to life how sewing as a “living art” was once an essential skill, and highlights the dignity and pride of self-sufficiency and endurance. 
 
The final 22-minute documentary, “Stitch,” was the result of 35-hours of digital interviews and four rolls of Super 8 film.With a minuscule budget, the short film is produced and supported by Fish Film and directed by Natalie. Natalie’s friend Sissi Farassat acts as cinematographer; Jakob Glatz works as an assistant to the director, part-time camera and sound man, production coordinator, good sport, and fearless driver. 
 
So many of the storytellers in this project, including Natalie’s grandmother, have passed away since 2001. We send the deepest gratitude to everyone involved, their families, and their ancestors, who transferred this knowledge to a willing generation.
 
Watch the film <a href="https://vimeo.com/151837870">here</a>.
Explore Sissi Farassat’s artwork via the Bildhalle Gallery <a href="https://www.bildhalle.ch/en/kuenstler/sissi-farassat-322">here</a> and follow her adventures <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sissifarassat/?hl=en">@sissifarassat</a>.
 
Photo of original VHS cassette of Stitch played the 4-minute trailer at the Chelsea Hotel show. The logo, branding and packaging for the final 22-minute film designed by <a href="http://subtitlenyc.com/#Section-7">stubitle</a>. Photographs by <a href="https://www.rauschphotography.com/new-page-4">Robert Rausch</a>.

Stitch, 2000

After extending her sabbatical and beginning work as a stylist in New York City, Natalie moves from Brooklyn to an apartment in the Chelsea Hotel. Her new neighbor and longtime friend, Paul Graves, eventually becomes a partner in the t-shirt business.
Natalie explores t-shirt embroidery and manufacturing across the twenty square blocks of the Garment District in Manhattan. This search proves unsuccessful and motivates her to write a proposal for a collection of 200 one-of-a-kind t-shirts to be presented in combination with a short documentary film, “Stitch,” produced in her home community of northwest Alabama, known as The Shoals.

Brooklyn to Chelsea, 2000

A first showing of the 200 one-of-a-kind t-shirts is planned for the Chelsea Hotel as part of New York City Fashion Week, February 2001. To announce the event, a catalog featuring color photocopies of the original t-shirts is stitched together and sent out to 400 store and press contacts. Julie Gilhart, then the Fashion Director of Barneys New York, receives a catalog and makes an appointment to view the collection. Barneys becomes the first store to place an order. Photo of the first catalog above by <a href="https://www.rauschphotography.com/new-page-4" class="waffle-rich-text-link">Robert Rausch.</a> 
The catalog was designed by Paul McKevitt of <a href="http://subtitlenyc.com/#Section-7" class="waffle-rich-text-link">subtitle</a>, who wrote: "It was a real pleasure being able to work on a project where we had the freedom to visually explore Americana and mix it with the punk ethos of DIY, reflecting a product that had both, but with traditional folk undertones". 
This, and all the work of the first show, was a group effort between a team of friends, acquaintances, and colleagues—some of whom we’ve lost touch with over the past 21 years. Thank you to one and all—you know who you are—please reach out and be in touch [add email link]. Deepest gratitude to Paul G., Paul K., and the lovely Lucie.

Chelsea Hotel, 2001

Julie Gilhart and Natalie meet for the first time in 2001, shortly after Barneys New York becomes the first stockist for the new t-shirt collection. Over the years, they share many meetings, conversations, and adventures. 
The below conversation between Kimry Blackwelder and Julie occurred via email on May 3rd, 2021. Thank you to Kimry and Julie for taking the time to talk about the history of Alabama Chanin and 21 years of Natalie’s work in northwest Alabama.
 
Kimry Blackwelder: What is your earliest memory of Natalie and/or Alabama Chanin?
 
Julie Gilhart: I remember it well.  I was in my office at Barneys and literally had two big stacks of lookbooks about different designer collections that people sent me. In those days a lookbook was an “invitation“ to come see a collection during the fashion week market dates. It was such a laborious effort to go through them all; but, as the Fashion Director of Barneys New York, I was always on the hunt for new designers. When I came to the lookbook from Project Alabama that was inviting me to come to the Chelsea Hotel to see the collection, I stopped. It was like no other. I immediately made an appointment. The moment I walked in and saw the beauty of what they were doing with hand stitching and naturally dying cotton, it seemed cool and at the same time innovative. We immediately placed a big order.
 
KB: How do you think Alabama Chanin has impacted and/or influenced sustainability in the industry over the past 20 years?
 
JG: Natalie has created a thriving, innovative business outside the fashion system that is sustainable. She created a lifestyle brand that embodied ethical, responsible values. She had authentic brand storytelling before it was a critical part of what any brand needed to have!
 
KB: Do you have a favorite AlabamaChanin piece, collection, or collaboration? If so, why does this stand out to you?
 
JG: The original t-shirt she did was one of the most widely copied styles. At the legendary New York restaurant, Bar Pitti, the wait staff is still wearing the iconic T-shirts.
Her stitched bustiers became collectibles. The easy fitted dresses were great sellers, as were the loosely tailored jackets and full skirts. Natalie was one of the very first designers to embrace women of different sizes and have it look completely natural.
She created cotton “couture” with her shapes and embroideries.
 
KB: Do you have any fond memories or experiences during which you recall wearing Alabama Chanin?
 
JG: Twenty years later I fell in love with the pieces she did with Patagonia. She actually created a collection of scarves and wraps from Patagonia’s unusable down jackets. Each piece was hand-made and hand-sewn. To me, this is the iconic essence of Alabama Chanin.
 
KB: Can you describe your most memorable encounter or experience with the Alabama Chanin brand?
 
JG: I think our buying appointments were the most memorable. From the Chelsea Hotel in NYC to L’Hotel in Paris’ Left Bank. It was always a catch up on not just the current collection at hand but on business and current culture at hand.
 
KB: What do you feel is Alabama Chanin’s most enduring quality? We want to know what comes to mind first and what resonates with you?
 
JG: I’m still in awe of the culture and community Natalie created around the brand. The fact that she created a supply chain made up of women sewing at home is unheard of in the fashion industry. How she created a lifestyle brand not in NY, LA, or Paris, but in Florence, Alabama. She has many enduring qualities, but one of her superpowers is endurance and a true love of beauty. The combination of the two is dynamic and impactful.
 
KB: As our industry evolves, what do you hope to see for the future? Where do you see Alabama Chanin in this vision?
 
JG: She is so ahead of the curve, and my dream is that more people know her story and values. She is an American classic that lives and works in a way that we all need to learn how to incorporate into our own lives.
 
KB: Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to Natalie or the Alabama Chanin team in celebration of their 21 years?
 
JG: Thank you for not following the fashion industry but leading. Thank you for not compromising your values but setting new examples for us all to follow. You may not be the largest fashion business in the industry, but your authenticity, sustainability, and human values rank highest and will leave the greatest impact.

Julie Gilhart - Barneys New York, 2001

Sally Singer and Natalie meet for the first time in 2001, when both are living at the Chelsea Hotel. A decade after their first meeting, Sally gives Natalie the most beloved compliment of her career. During the 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Show at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, Sally leans in and tells Natalie, “You are the American Rei Kawakubo and Comme des Garçons.”  
Sally and Kimry Blackwelder share email correspondence on March 28th, 2021 to reflect on Alabama Chanin’s history and 21 years of Natalie’s work in northwest Alabama. 
 
Kimry Blackwelder: What is your earliest memory of Natalie and/or Alabama Chanin?
 
Sally Singer: I first met Natalie in the early 2000s when I was living at the Chelsea Hotel. She was staying with a fellow named Paul on the 4th floor of the hotel; I think Paul (who may or may not have been her partner in Project Alabama at that time) was buddies with a fellow named Steve (who may or may not have been a permanent resident of the hotel some of the time). Everything at the Chelsea was invariably vague and sketchy.
 
I think this was during New York Fashion Week, and Natalie was in town to meet buyers with her collection of reworked vintage tee shirts. I found her in the lobby, if I recall. She just had the coolest stack of reverse appliquéd and beaded rocker tops I had ever seen: deliciously worn in, really well cut (slouchy but boyish, very sexy), and with such beautiful handwork. I just wanted everything.
 
Of course they were insanely expensive.... Because that’s how it is when you pay people fairly and make work meaningful, and do things properly. These were luxurious items made by the women of Florence, Alabama. And Natalie was bringing their work to market with such grace and cool. I fell in love with her that day—she had (and has) a dazzling presence. She was this rock-and-roll mom of a teenager, who’d lived in Berlin, and was now reinventing the southern garment industry. What a privilege to meet such a figure! And in the lobby of my wacky/asinine home! 
 
KB: How would you describe the impact of work on the fashion industry?
 
I think that Natalie has always stood for the values that the fashion industry is only now beginning to embrace: upcycling, organic textiles, transparent production, handcraft. She has held to her values and shown a way forward with consistency and forbearance. 
 
KB: There is so much work to dissect over the years; but, do you have a favorite piece?
 
SS: My favorite piece is a chocolate brown and rose tee from that early meeting. My favorite collection was the runway show Natalie staged in 2005 when Project Alabama was a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize. She showed all her tried-and-true silhouettes—those fit and flare dresses and tie waist jackets—but everything had such polish, especially in navy and black. It was lovely to see American handcraft on a New York runway and worn so beautifully.
 
KB: What are your fondest memories or experiences with Natalie?
 
SS: One of my favorite memories with Natalie was when she hosted a sewing circle at the East Village Standard Hotel during New York fashion week. I remember spending an afternoon sewing with a group of women I had never met before and just letting time pass slowly. It was one of the happiest afternoons I have ever spent in New York. 
 
KB: What would you say is the most enduring quality of this work?
 
SS: I think Natalie Chanin’s most enduring quality is love—for family, community, women, the planet. She treats everyone and everything properly. That’s so rare. 
 
KB: Where does this go in the future?
 
SS: I think the fashion industry is finally waking up to the values and practices that Natalie has championed for two decades. I hope they move quickly; we don’t have much time.
 
KB: Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to Natalie or the Alabama Chanin team in celebration of their 21 years?
 
SS: Natalie and team, I am so honored to know you and to be part of this celebration of your work. I love the sewing kits, the clothes, the home vision, everything you guys touch and how you touch it. Thank you.
 
View the 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund runway show <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/vd-down-the-runway-the-2009-cfdavogue-fashion-fund-finalists-head-to-la">here</a>.
Shop <a href="https://alabamachanin.com/products/natalies-pulloverorganic-cotton-funnelneck-pullover-core">Natalie’s Pullover</a>, <a href="https://alabamachanin.com/collections/the-school-of-making/diy-sewing-kits">Sewing Kits</a>, and <a href="https://alabamachanin.com/collections/shop/life-living">Home</a>. 
 
Sally Singer photographed by Peter Stanglmayr in her home in the Lower East Side of New York City. Sally is wearing Natalie’s Pullover. The Wallpaper is "Swan Lake" by Nina Campbell for Osborne and Little.

Sally Singer, 2001

At the Chelsea Hotel show, orders are taken from a handful of stores around the world that include stores like Barneys NY, Barneys Tokyo, Fred Segal/Ron Herman LA, and Browns in London. Natalie returns to Lovelace Crossroads, and with a team of artisans, patternmakers, friends, and family produces the first round of shirts to be delivered in the late spring and summer.

Orders, 2001

Alabama Chanin, 2007

Jessica Turner

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