Clewis Reid Designer and Art Institute of Charleston Teacher
Designer Ashley Reid realized her love of fashion while traveling the world studying various cultures as an anthropology major at the University of North Carolina. After returning to the U.S., Reid studied fashion design at the Savannah College of Art and Design, earning her MFA in 2004. She went on to win the grand prize in a national fashion competition offered through GenArt. Her next destination was New York City, where she found success working with one of her favorite lines, Costello Tagliapietra, as the design duo’s first assistant. More recently, Reid relocated to Charleston, where she was selected as one of six finalists to show in Charleston magazine’s Charleston Fashion Week’s first Emerging Local Designer Competition in 2008. In addition to teaching part-time in the fashion and retail management department at the Art Institute of Charleston, Reid launched her sustainable clothing line in January 2009.
Charleston magazine Style Editor & Charleston magazine’s Charleston Fashion Week Creative Director
Ayoka Lucas’ career as an innovative stylist began more than a decade ago in Atlanta, where she styled a local nightlife columnist and other celebrities. After relocating to Charleston, she wrote a weekly column that combined fashion, pop culture, and local events for Charleston City Paper. Lucas then joined the Charleston magazine team as style editor, producing the magazine’s monthly Style File, quarterly fashion features, and ongoing style blog. She is also the creative visionary behind Charleston magazine’s Charleston Fashion Week, which has received national recognition and been named one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events for March 2009. Lucas also serves as style editor for Charleston Home and Charleston Weddings magazines and as a contributing fashion correspondent on NBC News 2, ABC News 4’s Lowcountry Live, and 95SX-FM’s Two Girls and a Guy morning show.
Costume Designer
Award-winning costume designer Dana Campbell has worked in the entertainment industry for more than 20 years and has been designing exclusively since 2002. In addition to the Emmy earned for her work on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, she has received acclaim from Variety for the authenticity of her work on the Hallmark Channel TV movie Blackbeard. Campbell’s television credits include the Emmy Award-winning series The Corner, All of Us, Def Comedy Jam, and HBO Comedy Special Cedric the Entertainer: Taking You Higher. Campbell also claims a lengthy list of high-profile film credits, including Bones (Pam Grier and Snoop Dogg), Janky Promoters (Ice Cube), The New Daughter (Kevin Costner), and Art of War: The Betrayal (Wesley Snipes). Most recently, Campbell completed production on Dear John, a film based on a Nicholas Sparks bestseller, with director Lasse Hallstrom. Born and raised in South Carolina, Campbell divides her time between Los Angeles and Charleston.
Mary Norton Designer
Luxury handbag and shoe designer Mary Norton is known for her unique blend of whimsy and sophistication. The Charleston-based mother of two began making purses on her dining room table in 1998, a venture that quickly grew into Moo Roo, an international brand with an A-list celebrity following. The company was named among the fastest-growing urban businesses in the United States by Inc. magazine in 2005, and Norton relaunched the collection under her own name in 2006. The acclaimed Mary Norton line is now produced in Italy and boasts boutiques on two coasts: a flagship store on King Street and another on Melrose Place in Los Angeles. Norton is still the sole designer for her line, which won the prestigious Footwear News Launch of the Year Award in 2007.
Lacoste USA CEO, retired
As CEO for the last 6 years, Robert Siegel is widely credited with the revitalization of the preppy-chic As the CEO Lacoste USA for the last six years, Robert Siegel is widely credited with the revitalization of the preppy-chic brand. However, the Charleston resident has been making waves in the fashion industry for more than 40 years. Siegel began his highly successful career with Levi Strauss & Co in 1964, where he was named president of menswear before moving on to become the creator of the billion-dollar Dockers brand. He then became chairman and CEO of the Stride Rite Corporation in 1993, where he remained until joining Kurt Salmon Associates as managing director of branded products five years later. Siegel also served as director for Joe Boxer, McNaughton Apparel, and The Bon Ton Stores before contemplating retirement. In 2002 Siegel joined Lacoste USA, which flourished under his leadership, as did Oshkosh B’Gosh, where he serves as an independent director. Siegel retired in January 2009, and today serves as an active board member and consultant for Lacoste USA and Bono’s Edun clothing line, as well as working with his own company, Retail Apparel Group.
Mychael Knight Designer
German-born, Alabama-raised, and Atlanta-based designer Mychael Knight discovered his calling to the fashion industry while “watching Soul Train in his childhood home.” After graduating with a degree in apparel design and merchandising from Georgia Southern University, Mychael participated in Season Three of Bravo’s hit reality television competition Project Runway, where he won three design challenges and was referred to as the fan favorite by more than 10 million viewers. Knight’s designs have been worn by celebrities such as Jennifer Hudson, Ciara, Keri Hilson, Kim Porter, and Queen Latifah, and his work has been featured in various print publications, including Allure, Atlanta PEACH, Upscale, Ebony, YRB, Black Enterprise, and The New York Times. He recently introduced his signature unisex fragrance, MAJK, and is currently working on his premiere Mychael Knight collection.
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