Alabama Chanin S/S 10 New York

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Natalie "Alabama" Chanin does good work(s). She compiles oral histories of Southern textile workers, salvages old quilts, and is striving to make her business zero-waste. All of the stitchers who create Chanin's (quite literally) homespun garments work from their own houses and live within an hour-and-a-half radius of her family and business base of Florence, Alabama. And they use organic materials grown and produced in the good ole U.S. of A.—a fact proudly announced on the Alabama Chanin label. Is it any wonder she's a Fashion Fund finalist?

This is actually the second time Alabama Chanin, the person, has been in the running. The last time was when she was a partner in Project Alabama (with which she is no longer associated).

"It's tight and succinct," the designer said of her Spring collection, which came in hues of doeskin, earth, blush, ruby, and midnight blue. "It's very clean." You won't find bandage dresses or miniskirts at Alabama Chanin, but that doesn't mean she's not offering something more than just folksy charm: Witness a wrap top with a flyaway back train that offered a peek of skin, for instance. But it's the handwork, of course—the couching, the reverse appliqués, the "Alabama fur" (really stands of thread) —that keeps fans rooting for the home team.

style.com

 

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style.com

 

[gius]

had i not read the article i would say the colours make it more drab than it is... it does have an old-fashioned southern vibe. something you'd see in antiques roadshow

..something you grow to like

thanks for the thread ^

 

[fashionismydrug]

Not really my cup of tea but I really respect what she's doing with her business.

 

[Crying Diamonds]

I really like the length of most of the dresses - just below the knee.
It's very summery but in a layered, Victorian-esque way. I love it.

 

[Scott]

i dunno...didn't chanin used to be a bit quirkier when she was doing PA? this seems a bit newport news catalogue-y,imo.

 

[Mutterlein]

i dunno...didn't chanin used to be a bit quirkier when she was doing PA? this seems a bit newport news catalogue-y,imo.

a bit?

 

[Scott]

^ a lot!

 

[theprettycat]

this is quite elegant! i really like it

 

[fashionista-ta]

I like the white coat ... and a couple of the skirts. I continue to wish she were a bit more connected to mainstream fashion.

 

[gius]

why do you say that... ^

..also disturbs me a little, the dark reds, slate blues beiges browns etc and floral cutwork etc. are just like what you see in the linen departments of huge stores like wal-mart or hudson's bay company. maybe even them have started to jump on the trends --been a long time since i went to see if the styles are still the same in those kinds of stores


the jersey dress with striped circle skirt is oddly appealing to me.. the red haired model really suits this look very well. i also like the blue belted ensemble with pencil skirt

 

[shutterbug]

Still, I wish it took organic clothing a little further. I've seen tied wrap tops and knee-lengths floral prints skirts done so many times by organic lines in Vancouver.

 

[Scott]

^yeah i agree...it's a little too granola. i wish these talents would kind of stick their necks out a bit more and play...like others do when they recycle.

 

[fashionista-ta]

why do you say that... ^

..also disturbs me a little, the dark reds, slate blues beiges browns etc and floral cutwork etc. are just like what you see in the linen departments of huge stores like wal-mart or hudson's bay company. maybe even them have started to jump on the trends --been a long time since i went to see if the styles are still the same in those kinds of stores


the jersey dress with striped circle skirt is oddly appealing to me.. the red haired model really suits this look very well. i also like the blue belted ensemble with pencil skirt

I'm sure in person the handwork looks nothing like Wal-mart ... but I wish her stuff were more connected to fashion because I find it difficult to fit it into a wardrobe. The colors in the past anyway have been completely different from what everyone else is doing ... I buy things for the house because of the beautiful handwork, but to wear, they need to offer more than that ...

 

[papa_levante]

Take the shoes away and I'm sure this could be a stylish and conservative new dress-style!