When you think of the world’s great fashion cities — like Paris and Milan — chances are that Florence, Ala., isn’t on your list. But this small Southern town — a former hub for textile production — was once known as the T-shirt capital of the world. These days, that tradition is being kept alive by Natalie Chanin.
This enterprising designer is the powerhouse behind Alabama Chanin, a clothing line that uses recycled and organic materials in all its designs. The pieces are all hand crafted by local artisans in Chanin’s hometown in a factory that prioritizes a pleasing work environment alongside productivity. (The line also includes several charity designs, all available at www.alabamachanin.com.) Chanin’s goal is to maintain the tradition of local artisanal clothing production in her, um, sweet home Alabama.
New York City may seem like it’s a million miles away from Florence, but that’s where Alabama Chanin is launching its newest collection today — a unique collaboration with HBO, featuring customized T-shirts with logos from the network’s top shows, like The Sopranos and Flight of the Conchords. The shirts are actually old HBO tees that are restyled with embroidery and stencils; each one is literally one-of-a-kind and hand detailed. Prices vary depending on the design, but they top out at $85 — much less than a typical Alabama Chanin design.
Maybe it’s just a clever way to reuse unsold tees, but HBO definitely deserves credit for choosing a designer like Chanin to do the job. The shirts are only available this month, so if you want one, grab it now. Otherwise, as Tony Soprano might say, fuhgeddaboudit.
The Alabama Chanin for HBO Collection is available at www.hbo.com/store.