Sock Capital of the World: The History of Hosiery Mills in Fort Payne, Alabama


Objective: Gather content and imagery to design a book of your choice.

The majority of Fort Payne, Alabama's wealth in the late 20th Century came from the hosiery business, giving it the title of Sock Capital of the World. The book aims to shed light on the rich history of this era, as well as the history of the town itself.

Imagery was taken of Fort Payne's first hosiery mill, W.B. Davis, which is now used as an artisan shop and restaurant. The mills opened at the turn of the century, so news headlines and stories of that time were sampled in the opening and closing pages. Three handwritten interviews with former hosiery mill employees break up the heavy use of photography and give the book its warmth. 

The ultimate goal of the publication is to celebrate this unique and exciting time period in Fort Payne's history. 

Gold Award Winner for Publication Design at the Auburn University Graphic Design Student Show 2016 / Juror, Ann Willoughby

Work completed while a student at Auburn University / Art Direction, Robert FInkel