The Huntsville Museum of Art’s 32nd Annual Gala is less than a month away. The annual Gala consists of three separate events, each offering unique cultural activities to attract a variety of patrons. The three events of the Gala are the Luncheon, the Black Tie Dinner & Live Auction, and the Cocktail Party & Silent Auction.
The 32nd Annual Gala Committee and the Huntsville Museum of Art are thrilled to welcome the celebrated entrepreneur and tastemaker, Jane Scott Hodges, as the Gala Luncheon Speaker. Jane Scott Hodges is an American entrepreneur and lifestyle authority best known for her influence on couture linens and their relevance in contemporary life and entertaining. As Founder and CEO of Leontine Linens, Jane Scott is at once an entrepreneur, a tastemaker, and an expert in her field.
The origin of Jane Scott Hodges’ professional life is as colorful as Leontine Linens’ Instagram feed. After attending Tulane University and falling in love with New Orleans and the city’s devotion to honoring the past, it was when she was home in Kentucky planning her wedding that she discovered heirloom monogrammed linens belonging to her great-grandmother. Influenced by her Southern upbringing and belief in the importance of heritage, Jane Scott was inspired to recreate a collection of her own linens to celebrate her new married life. Her mother introduced her to a historic Kentucky workroom called Eleanor Beard Studio and they traveled there together. Hodges was enamored by the process of hand-selecting the fabrics, trims, monograms, and border styles for her very own modern take on the trousseau. She saw a niche market for these products, unavailable in most corners of the United States. She began Leontine Linens to showcase the studio’s artisanal work in 1996, at the young age of 27.
In a fortuitous plot twist, Hodges became the owner and caretaker of the historic Eleanor Beard Studio only 6 years later, in 2002. It was not until that stewardship began that she realized she now cared for one of the very first and only remaining American workrooms of its kind to offer handmade, couture linens that rivaled those of Europe when it opened its doors in 1921. At the heart of the experience, Jane Scott wished to create for her clients was that first visit to the showroom, where she collaborated on every detail of the design of her linens. To this day, the in-home appointment is where Hodges cherishes creating with her client’s beautiful linens that speak to their individual aesthetic and lifestyle.
Hodges’ career now spans over 25 years, and throughout that time, she continues to set herself apart from her contemporaries by innovating product designs using heritage-driven techniques and offering unwavering quality of product and design services; in doing so, she has become an expert in the design, creation, and use of fine linens in everyday life.
Hodges’ authoritative book, Linens for Every Room and Occasion (2014), presents inspiring ideas and examples as well as practical information that arms the reader with useful advice and recommendations. Through artful storytelling, Jane Scott is both inspirational and approachable in her ability to coax her audience into confidently incorporating the things they love into their everyday homemaking and entertaining style.
Jane Scott Hodges will speak at the Gala Luncheon on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Guests will be able to purchase her book for a signing after her talk. Tickets to the 32nd Annual Gala Luncheon are already sold out, but tickets to the Cocktail Party & Silent Auction are available now at hsvmuseumgala.org.