Troubadour's Hit Trunk Show at Hampden & Novel Chapter Two!

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Troubadour
Written by Guest Blogger: Gaynell Galt

On Friday, Hampden Clothing hosted a trunk show for Charleston-based designer Lindsey Carter to showcase her label, Troubadour.

A finalist in Charleston Fashion Week 2009’s Emerging Designer Competition, Carter debuted her Spring 2010 Troubadour line and also showed pieces from the Fall 2010 collection. Guests had the opportunity to purchase spring items and to pre-order pieces from the fall collection. Carter says the inspiration behind her Spring 2010 collection came from photographer Neil Krug’s underwater series of photos in which he employed varying gradients and played on light. The colors, she says, were especially inspiring to her, and many of the hues in Krug’s photographs, such as watery blues and greens, were worked into her spring line. Troubadour’s Spring 2010 line is “really about draping,” says Carter. It boasts dresses in bright colors and ultra-feminine silhouettes. Carter kept the line very on-trend for spring with pieces like intricately-draped silk rompers that will make easy day-to-night ensembles. Adding to the beauty of the collection is the fact that while many of the pieces have the same design, each one is constructed with slight variations in draping that lend to each a unique feel.

For Fall 2010, Troubadour is “very après ski,” says Carter. Inspired by snow-covered mountains and glamorous women lounging in ski lodges, the line is “serious but flirty,” with menswear-inspired details like gussets adding a subtle edge to otherwise feminine pieces. Carter kept the color palette predominately in black and snowy white. The Troubadour girl, she says, is interested in fashion, curious, and driven. “She likes to go out,” she says. “They’re clothes that my friends and I want to wear. Perfect for women in their twenties or their forties.” In fact, I loved that Lindsey was wearing a black silk romper, her own design, paired with nude studded gladiator flats. A wonderfully versatile piece!

Hampden Clothing is the exclusive Troubadour retailer in downtown Charleston. Stacy Smallwood, owner of Hampden Clothing, thinks that Troubadour is the perfect embodiment of the Hampden girl. “I think it’s relevant, current, and moving in a direction that every New York fashion designer is,” says Smallwood. The label came to be carried at Hampden after Smallwood saw Carter’s show at Charleston Fashion Week 2009. “I called to say congrats on her show and she invited me to her New York show in September.”

Don't miss your opportunity to include Troubadour into your own wardrobe! The Spring 2010 line is currently available at Hampden Clothing.

NOVEL CHAPTER TWO!

It's March 1st and that kicks off -in my own opinion- Fashion month! With Charleston Fashion Week just weeks away what else would be suitable? To get things started, Novel., a temporary fashion and art collaborative opens today for a second chapter, located at 428 King! Lauren Lail's Library Archives of Fashion and designer Jane Pope’s Balboa and Jane Pope Jewelry welcome Marysia Reeves’ swimwear collection, marysia SWIM to their second installment of this hit pop-up shop! Expect this shopping experience to be stocked with vintage finds, amazing one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces and high-end swimwear just in time for the highly anticipated beach weather! Look out for special events during both Wine+ Food Festival and Charleston Fashion Week (CFW). Speaking of CFW, isn't it time to be thinking about what you're wearing? Great news, Go! Fashion kicks off on March 8th with close to three dozen stores offering savings! For more info on Novel visit www.blognovelblog.wordpress.com and for Go! Fashion Week check out http://www.charlestonmag.com/fashionweek/schedule.