Lindsey Carter of Troubadour Clothing is Turning Heads in Her Direction—Charleston, SC
More and more fashion designers are launching competitive lines away from the frontline of the fashion industry, New York. Designer talents like Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin and 2010 CFDA winner Billy Reid, both headquartered in Florence, AL, have proven that regional flare and heritage can be a designer brand building block. Count Lindsey Carter, a graduate of the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) among the latest Southern-based contemporary lines to boast national appeal.
Based in Charleston, SC, Carter debuted her clothing line, Troubadour, last spring, and shortly thereafter was named a fashion designer to watch by Women’s Wear Daily. Drawing on her experience at J. Crew, where she worked briefly in the men's division and as part of the startup team for MadeWell 1937, she contrasts ultra-feminine cuts and volume with masculine detailing and tailoring to get the fashion trend she calls, “modern tomboy.” Lindsey Carter's spring 2011 designer collection pairs pretty blouses, tuxedo pants and wispy dresses with structured jackets and shorts in cotton chambray, silk crepe and silk georgette. Her just-revealed fall 2011 fashion collection offers similar silhouettes in hearty plaids and wool felts ($250-$550). “I really dove into the boy-meets-girl vibe,” said fashion designer Lindsey Carter.

Troubadour Spring 2011 Designer Collection
“New York will always be the epicenter of fashion, but Charleston’s really become an exciting incubator, with so many people starting up their own lines and with a Fashion Week that now attracts top editors and influencers,” said fashion designer Lindsey Carter. “People are starting to notice all that’s going on here.”
Charleston’s low country aesthetic certainly serves as a source of fashion inspiration and recreation for the Troubadour brand. Lindsey Carter and her husband and friends are big fans of the oyster roast and low country boil. Whether on the beach or nearby Barrier Island, she packs a big sail bag filled with food, beer koozies, towels, sunscreen and a hat for the occasion. “My Bloody Mary station is a big hit too” says Carter, who packs all the spices and fixings— celery salt, pickled okra, Old Bay seasoning, and of course, Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix. And down here I also don’t go anywhere without a big striped linen (it's lightweight) blanket. It doubles as our picnic blanket, a towel, and also a sarong for me if we pull up somewhere that you need to cover up."

Troubadour Fall 2011
Here, the head-to-toe ingredients for mixing up a low country boil, Charleston-style.
New Dexter Russel Oyster Knife
(buy it now price, $8.88)
New Norpro Sauce Dip Butter Cups
(buy it now price, $10.99)
New 33-Quart Crab & Crawfish Cooker
(buy it now price, $64.96)
New Sail Boats & Anchors Nautical Fabric Tablecloth
(buy it now price, $24)
New Nautical Beach Cotton Throw Blanket
(buy it now price, $54.99)
New Pucci Beach Blanket Towel
(buy it now price, $219.99)
New Kate Spade Luau Flip Flops
(buy it now price, $24.99)
Sea Shell Napkin Rings
(buy it now price, $9.99)
New Set of 6 Galvanized 12-Quart Buckets
(buy it now price, $41.95)
New Blue Stripe Place Mat & Napkin
(buy it now price, $9.50)
New Peggy Fisher Beach Bag Tote
(buy it now price, $103.99)
New 4 Mexican Blue Glass Tumblers
(buy it now price, $33.50)