Emerging designers show hottest ticket at Charleston Fashion Week

When Foster Fox returned to Charleston from New York a few years ago, he joked to an out-of-town friend about "Charleston Fashion Week."

Now Fox, 28, is one of the city's young, local designers making a mark on Charleston's emerging fashion scene.

Fox said being selected for a runway show was a boon for his career. "It shrunk my 10-year plan down to seven," he said.

Fox and five others will show their collections tonight under the tents at Marion Square in the Emerging Local Designers Runway Show. The six young designers' shows are among nearly 30 runway shows in Charleston Magazine's five-day fashion extravaganza, which runs through Saturday and includes everything from spring sundresses to bridal couture. It's the event's second year but the first year for the emerging designers show.

The six designers, who in addition to Fox include Rachel Gordon, Carol Hannah Whitfield, Ashley Reid, Megan Waldrep and Krista Beth Huff, were selected from among 16 who entered the Emerging Local Designers competition, said Ayoka Lucas,style editor for Charleston Magazine.

The emerging designers show spotlights the local up-and-coming design talent in Charleston, she said.

The town has always been receptive to emerging designers because of the many privately owned designer boutiques.

"In this city, we like specialty items," Lucas said.

"It's a hot ticket," she said of the young designers' show. It sold out Wednesday morning, the first event of the week to do so, Lucas said. In response, organizers Thursday afternoon added 100 general admission tickets. "It's the one (event) everybody wants to support," Lucas said.

For general admission tickets to Friday's Emerging Local Designers Runway Show, go to www.charlestonfashionweek.com or to the registration tent at Marion Square. There are 100 additional $30 tickets available for the show, which originally sold out Wednesday.

Charleston Fashion Week continues through Saturday at Marion Square.

Read more in tomorrow's Post and Courier.