Patch West Ashley, SC --Charleston has always been a favorite destination for vacationers. A history-rich, sleepy Southern town at the ocean’s age will always be attractive. But in the last decade or so the Holy City has reached a new level. A big reason for that is the so-called “creative class” that has emerged in the city.
No person typifies the creative class better than Ayoka Lucas (pictured). She’s the founder and force behind Charleston Fashion Week. In a few short years, Fashion Week has gone from a local event to one getting international attention.
Speaking to Patch at the DIG South Conference in Charleston last month, Lucas described what it’s been like to witness the city’s transformation.
“I have a different appreciation for what Charleston now is,” Lucas said. “I’ve been working here for more than 10 years. And I’ve seen it go from almost nothing in terms of a creative community to what we have now.”
When Lucas was thinking about creating Fashion Week, she had doubts. “We weren’t sure people wanted fashion yet and weren’t sure there were enough designers out there,” she said.
The very first year she knew Fashion Week would be a success. “We felt we were a success the very first year when people actually showed up,” Lucas said with a laugh. “It sounds crazy now, but it showed there was a need.”
She explained: “We’ve wanted Fashion Week to be a place where people find the next big thing. Half of our applicants are from New York and they are looking to break into the industry. So we brought in national people to validate the new talent. And now we have a platform that is like a circle.”
The creative class has also helped foster a spirit of entrepreneurship that is attracting more and more talented people to the area. People like Tyler Stone, founder of Charleston Stitch, who has been back in the Lowcountry for four years after an absence.
“People have told me, ‘It’s not just all about New York and San Francisco anymore,’” said Stone. “There’s a lot of energy happening right now in Charleston.”
Stone said entrepreneurs and creatives are often in the same space and have learned to support each other. “When you’re an entrepreneur, there are a lot of highs and lows. One day you think what your making will be the greatest thing since sliced bread and the next day you’re wondering if you’ll ever sell one of them. It’s a roller coaster.”
“It’s so helpful to be around people who are on the same ride even if they’re in a different industry.”
Some of the highs and lows, Stone described are brought about by forces beyond one’s control. Like the global financial crisis, for example.
Prior to the financial crisis, Caroline Nuttall was planning on launching a glossy print magazine to be published monthly. That changed after the crisis. Funding dried up and Nuttall had to re-think her plan, which turned out to be the digital magazine CHARLIE. It is now more than four years old.
“I have the recession to thank for forcing me to slow down and think about what I want I want to do,” Nuttall said.
Nuttall said one of her publication’s biggest accomplishments is in connecting a community, a feat which has been helped by social media sites like Facebook. The next wave of content, Nuttall said, will be that which can be curated. “Consumers are creating their own content,” she said. “People are associating more with individualized social media and we’re focusing on that.”
Another publisher who concurs with the mission of community-building is Olivia Pool of Art Mag. Like many others, she also has seen the community she’s help build, change in the 13 years she’s been in Charleston. “It’s changed dramatically and it’s been thrilling to be a part of it,” Pool said.
The transformation, Pool said, can be understood by considering portions of King Street in Charleston. “Years ago, the only people there were artists using space to show their work. They were able to take a so-called defunct space and bring it to life,” she said.
“Now, it’s filled with restaurants and all sorts of interesting buildings.”
Instead of pockets of activity, there is now energy all over town. “On any given day there are five things happening that are all cool and you want to go to,” Pool said.
Pool noted that the last decade has not been without its bumps in the road. “There’s a little friction between the old and new.” she said. “There is a little ‘old guard, new guard’ thing going on that isn’t generational as much as it as cultural.”
Many in the creative community believe that Charleston is on the brink of becoming a go-to place for like-minded people, especially as technology allows people to work from anywhere. For all its offerings downtown, ‘The beach is only eight minutes away,” as Pool said, stating one of Charleston’s best selling points.
Ultimately, the beach and the restaurants and the history will lure people, but it’s the sense of community that will make them stay.
“People who come here can’t help but notice (the feeling of community),”Lucas said. “They are amazed that when we walk from lunch to the office that you’ll see five people you know. That makes a big impression.” Reported by Patch 8 hours ago.