Forget ‘Fast Fashion’: This Designer Has Style That’s Made to Last
Fusing modern style with classic sewing techniques, Natalie Chanin works to bring conscientious, well-made apparel to customers. Inspired by the skilled seamstresses of her Alabama roots, she has discovered a way to bring quality fashion home.
TakePart: How did you come up with the idea for your business? Was there a turning point that convinced you to start your own business?
Natalie Chanin: In 1999, I took what was meant to be a sabbatical from my work as a stylist. That sabbatical took me on a journey that ended with an extended stay in New York City. One afternoon during that time, I made myself a shirt by cutting apart an existing T-shirt and sewing it back together again by hand.
The response was exciting, but the act of sewing inspired me, and I envisioned creating 200 one-of-a-kind shirts to sell during New York Fashion Week. While in the process of looking for manufacturers, I realized I was mimicking stitches I’d seen my grandmothers use while quilting. So this idea brought me back to Alabama and to my community, where I came to find skilled seamstresses. It wasn’t my intention to start a business at that moment, but circumstances seemed to be pointing my pathway. I’m still here.
TakePart: What excites or inspires you? What do you care about?
Chanin: My family, the Alabama Chanin artisans, and community inspire me to create beautiful and sustainable goods. I care very deeply about advancing what I call the “living arts”—those skills once necessary to sustain life and advance culture.
TakePart: Do you see any common challenges among female business owners and entrepreneurs?
Chanin: Female business owners are asked more personal questions than male business owners. People want to observe your work-life balance and ask how you “do it all.” And it’s OK to admit that you can’t. In fact, that’s a trick line of questioning—because no one can “do it all.” You may face personal or financial scrutiny when you are out in front of your business. (It's common knowledge that it is more difficult for many women to obtain financial backing than it is for men.) The best way to meet those challenges is to become educated on as many aspects of your business as possible. And when you can’t, find an ally who is educated and ask for help.
TakePart: Did you ever face a do-or-die moment, and how did you get through it? What’s been the proudest moment that made you feel like your hard work was worth it?
Chanin: Early in the life of my business, I was living and working in the same space, attempting to handle all aspects of the day-to-day work. There were times when I would be washing or dyeing fabrics in the basement, surrounded by cave crickets (and once, a snake), and I was so tired I would feel like collapsing onto a pile of clean laundry.
There is no easy answer as to how you get through difficult moments; there is only one baby step at a time.
TakePart: What’s one thing you wished someone had told you about your first year in business?
Chanin: It’s not a cure for cancer. It won’t solve world hunger. It’s a T-shirt. (This is a motto we live by now, but it took me quite a while to implement.)
TakePart: What’s the best mistake you ever made?
Chanin: Mistakes are all about perception. Just because your product doesn’t match your initial plan, that doesn’t mean all is lost. We make mistakes with textiles all the time, and those mistakes often turn out to be the most beautiful designs.
TakePart: Why is sustainability important to you?
Chanin: Commitment to sustainability is central to every part of the Alabama Chanin brand and philosophy. We believe that designers and producers have a responsibility to their consumers to provide conscientious, healthy, well-made products that will enrich their lives. We practice slow design, which is the opposite of “fast fashion.” To the Alabama Chanin standard, a quality garment is meant to last.
This post is part of the series "In Her Company," created in collaboration with Eileen Fisher and designed to celebrate the power, creativity, and impact of women-owned businesses. Check out more stories at takepart.com/in-her-company.
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Original article from TakePart
