Athens Clothes to Dye For

Filtered light from the sunset streams through Jen Cole’s open-air back porch as dusk begins to settle. She stands over her workspace, arranging individual leaves in a pattern atop a piece of fabric until she eventually rolls the fabric into a cylinder and binds it with thread. In a week or two, the cloth will ultimately become a stunning piece of clothing.

Fashion has always been a hot topic, especially in fresh, modern cities like Athens. Iconic clothing stores line the streets—Red Dress, Cheeky Peach, Pitaya, Community. They all offer clothing lines that allow Athens locals and University of Georgia students to express themselves through their apparel. But one Athens woman designs and creates clothes unlike anything that could be found at a popular clothing store like Urban Outfitters. Her name is Jen Cole and she produces handmade, sustainable clothing with plants and materials native to Georgia.