Callaway Conversations: One Garment at a Time: How Alabama Chanin is Preserving the Fading Tradition of Quilting in the South

Join local fashion writer Libby Callaway and designer Natalie Chanin for a special conversation exploring quilting and sustainable fashion, inspired by Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories. In 2000, after years working in Europe, Chanin returned to her hometown of Florence, Alabama, where she collaborated with the local sewing community to create her first collection of hand-sewn T-shirts using traditional Depression-era quilting stitches. These designs evolved into couture garments — including wedding gowns — crafted from recycled organic cotton and sold to high-end retailers like Barneys. Her company, Alabama Chanin, has since become an international leader in the zero-waste and slow design movements, which emphasize responsible production and consumption. The talk will take place at the Frist Art Museum on August 28 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Learn more HERE.