With the creation of the first t-shirts, Natalie develops stenciling as a cornerstone of the company’s design process and business model. The first stencils used are simple, block numbers made out of brown kraft paper—the kind of numbers sold at hardware stores to spray-paint addresses on curbs. Through the decades, thousands of stencil patterns are developed, from simple to elaborate, and from geometric to floral motifs. The stencils are used as tools to transfer decorative patterns onto collection garments, and act as “maps” for sewing methods—appliqué, reverse appliqué, and even intricate beading. Fabric pieces are cut and stenciled in the...
Nicole and Natalie met for the first time in 2002, when Nicole covered new designers at Elle magazine. Nicole goes on to build an illustrious career in fashion, moving from Elle to Style.com and, eventually, to Vogue where she is currently the director of Vogue Runway.
Vogue’s Julia Reed visits Project Alabama in 2001, the start of what would become a longstanding relationship shared between Natalie and the publication.
