How a rural Alabama quilting tradition shaped Ralph Lauren’s latest luxury collection
Deep in a curve of the Alabama River is the small rural community of Gee’s Bend. The site of a former cotton plantation where the residents trace their lineage to enslaved ancestors, it has recently become known for some of the most creative abstract art in America. The medium isn’t a canvas or sculpture: It’s the quilt. For centuries, the women of Gee’s Bend faced extreme poverty and isolation.…
In the rural community of Gee's Bend, located along the Alabama River, a tradition of quilt-making has been passed down through generations of women. These women, descendants of enslaved ancestors, have created abstract art quilts from scraps of worn denim, faded rags, and old feed sacks. The quilters faced poverty and isolation, but found beauty in the mismatched pieces they sewed together, transforming sorrow into something beautiful.
Ralph Lauren has partnered with Gee's Bend for his fifth Artist in Residence Program, highlighting the work of two renowned quilters, Claudia Pettway Charley and Loretta Pettway Bennett. Together, they have created a limited edition collection of quilts, pillows, a jacket, and a tote bag, all featuring traditional Gee's Bend patterns. The collection, priced to reflect its collectible status, includes a jacket for $4,998, a tote for $2,198, and quilts for $3,995.
Bennett's designs incorporate modernist elements while maintaining the geometric patterns characteristic of Gee's Bend quilts. Her use of color, such as the single red triangle in a quilt for the collaboration, represents the next generation, as she teaches her granddaughter the tradition. The collection, rooted in denim and hand-painted ceramic tableware, is a testament to the craftsmanship of Gee's Bend quilters and Ralph Lauren's commitment to equitable collaboration in art and design.
A portion of the proceeds from the collection donations to the Equal Justice Initiative to support low-income families in Alabama.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
