A True Fashion Insider s Guide to One of America s Favorite Cities
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Don t let the soapy TV show fool you: There s much more to Nashville, Tennessee, than the music. There is a flourishing fashion industry afoot in America s heartland, with a set of homegrown designers like Black by Maria Silver and Otis James calling the city home. And the city s talent hasn t gone unnoticed: To help expand and support the burgeoning industry, the Nashville Fashion Alliance has launched today on Kickstarter, as a way to support local designers by providing them with infrastructure, resources, and support (as well as training and jobs within the community). And if there is one person who knows the best of Nashville fashion, it’s model, musician, and NFA board member Karen Elson, who may be British by birth, but has called the capital of Tennessee home since 2006 (and has been known to play sets in the backyard of Vogue denim favorite Imogene + Willie). Not a bad way to combine the best of both fashion and music worlds in Nashville. Here, in support of the thriving fashion scene in Nashville, Elson shares her fashionable guide to the music city, from the best homewares and antique jewelry to where she picks up U.K.-minded care packages to remind her of home.
Photo: Courtesy of Imogene and Willie / @imogenewillie1/6Imogene + Willie
2601 Twelfth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37204
"The iconic denim brand that calls Nashville home is in the hot and happening Twelfth South District."
Photo: Courtesy of H. Audrey and White’s Mercantile2/6H. Audrey and White’s Mercantile
2027 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 703
Nashville, TN 37215
"Hank Williams s granddaughter Holly Williams has opened two quintessential stores in Nashville in the past couple of years. Her signature store H. Audrey sells brands like Elizabeth James, MIH, Helmut Lang, Vince, and Rag Bone, and White’s Mercantile is one of my favorite stores for homewares, gifts, cashmere blankets, kitchenware, and elegant miscellany. Brands like John Derian are represented here. I could spend hours in this very elegant and well-crafted store."
Photo: Courtesy of The Trunk3/6The Trunk
1006 Fatherland Street #202
Nashville, TN 37206
"Abby Franklin is a stylist and the owner of this lovely store, she has worked with artists such as Madonna and Prince, and has toured with Katy Perry doing wardrobe. During Fashion Week, she had a mobile boutique and sold amazing local labels such as Ola Mai and Black By Maria Silver."
Photo: Courtesy of Arrow and Anchor Antiques / @arrowandanchorantiques4/6Arrow Anchor Antiques
"They sell beautiful and high-quality antique jewelry. Brooke Baxter travels all over the country sourcing antique jewels and has done trade shows in Los Angeles and New York City. Brooke is a Nashville native, her father Bucky Baxter is a world-renowned pedal steel player and was part of **Bob Dylan’**s touring band."
Photo: Courtesy of Billy Reid5/6Billy Reid
Hill Center Green Hills
4015 Hillsboro Pike #104
Nashville, TN 37215
"The lovely Billy Reid opened a store in Nashville that sells chic and easy-to-wear basics and mens- and womenswear."