Few industries change as rapidly—and as drastically—as the fashion industry. It can feel as if colors and shapes are blurring together in a cycle of runway shows moving faster than a hurricane. But for those keyed into that world, it can feel as if they’re right in the eye of the storm—right in an unmoving center where they can innovate and pull from all that’s around them, including their environments. As a growing city with residents from all walks of life, it is just the right place for all kinds of Charlotte NC style influencers to flex their creativity. To discover some of the Queen City’s most well-known style influencers and get inspired about their foray into the fashion world, check out our Charlotte NC fashion influencers list below:
Charity Washington – Charlotte NC Style Influencer
Who: The owner and founder of Captivate, at SouthPark mall, and a leader in the beauty and fashion industry for over 20 years, with multiple storefronts and clients in her portfolio.
What: As one of Charlotte’s premier boutiques—and the only one in the SouthPark mall owned by a Black woman—Charity’s boutique, Captivate, has garnered a reputation for supplying unique, high-end clothes that rival the designer brand powerhouses all around it. Charity is a leader in Charlotte NC fashion and has dressed everyone from star athletes to Grammy award-winning artists and continues to be in high demand.
Follow: @charityluvs
ishopcaptivate.com
Jeremiah Allen – Charlotte NC Fashion Influencer
Who: The founder and CEO of fashion brand Rook and King.
What: Jeremiah understands the power a simple accessory can hold—especially one with a handmade touch. Through Rook and King’s handcrafted lapel pins, Allen has not only brought a unique accessory to Charlotte locals, but has also made a name for himself as an artisan and one of Charlotte’s top style influencers along the way.
Follow: @rookandking
rookandking.com
Jekia Benson – Charlotte NC Style Influencer
Who: The owner of Five13 Studio, a South End-based womens’ boutique.
What: Putting a look together means more than just finding the right dress or a nice top to match those perfect jeans. It means having the right accessories to go with it—something Jekia Benson nails every time. Not quite ready for a night out? Benson has even found a way to bring style to sleeping with Five13 Studio’s soft sweatpants and matching sweatshirts.
Follow: @jekiathestylist
five13studio.com
Nyonisela Sioh – Charlotte NC Style Influencer
Who: The owner of bespoke menswear shop Nyoni Couture.
What: Nyonisela Sioh, high on our list of Charlotte NC style influencers, has always been a trendsetter when it comes to men’s fashion. As an international seller and tailor, he not only learned how to keep an eye out for the latest trends, but also how to take those trends to the next level. By blending Western looks with styles inspired from his Liberian heritage, Sioh has created a style that’s strong and unique—perfect for a modern-day gentleman.
Follow: @nyoni_couture
nyonicouture.com
Girl Tribe’s Carrie Barker & Sarah Baucom
Who: The co-owners and co-founders of Girl Tribe Co., a Charlotte boutique and collective that regularly hosts pop-ups.
What: Carrie Barker and Sarah Baucom originally met in sixth grade at Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School in Charlotte, NC but did not become friends until years after graduating college. Out of this was formed the Girl Tribe Facebook group of over 17,000 women (local and nationwide) who all believe in women supporting women. Eventually, their collaboration grew into a curated collective of women-owned businesses in the fashion/style space. Today, they have a brick-and-mortar on Camden in South End. Source from not only Carrie and Sarah’s eye for style, but that of dozens of Charlotte women, as well.
Irina Toshkova – Charlotte NC Fashion Influencer
Who: The founder of Toshkova Fine Art (TFA) Advisory.
What: Irina has over 15 years of experience in the art market, including travels to New York, Washington, DC, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and across Europe. She works with beginning and established art collectors with collection management, specializing in contemporary art. She recently consulted at the newly opened Bazal to select art for the gallery. With her keen eye for fine art, she also brings an astute, creative touch to her own outfits.
Twine & Twig’s Jacquelyn Tugwell and Elizabeth White
Who: These two sisters co-founded and co-run jewelry business Twine & Twig, a renowned Charlotte NC fashion and jewelry brand.
What: Twine & Twig features hand-tied, hand-stitched, and hand-branded pieces. These now include lifestyle and apparel as well as their original accessories. The sisters each bring their own looks to the jewelry line and are frequently dabbling with fashion-forward clothing. Elizabeth often dons flowy, feminine dresses while Jacqueline tends to play with more masculine textures, like denim and leather. Together, they bring their line to life and give us all plenty of inspiration as to how to take their pieces and make them complement our own individual aesthetic.
Follow: @twineandtwigstyle
twineandtwigstyle.com
Whitley Adkins – Charlotte NC Style Influencer
Who: A fashion stylist, magazine style editor, creative director and producer.
What: If you know Charlotte NC fashion, you know Whitley. She’s the driving force behind many a fashion shoot and more stylish locals’ street looks than we can count. Whitley’s outfits, whether for herself or a client, tend toward the bold, unexpected, and playful, and she lives her own best fashion advice to “put your best self forward.” If you need help getting outside the box or breathing new life into your wardrobe, Whitley is your woman.
Follow: @thequeencitystyle
whitleyadkins.com
Renata Gasparian – Charlotte NC Fashion Influencer
Who: The owner of fashion line RENATA clothing.
What: Renata has over 17 years of experience in Brazil’s high fashion world, which helped give her the foundation to launch her own line. Renata describes herself as someone who “likes to be a maximalist in a minimalistic way.” Her own looks often incorporate flowy, fresh dresses and skirts with patterns, texture, and accessories. All she does is with the goal of self-expression and inspiring others.
Follow: @renata_gasparian
Bruce Julian
Who: The owner of modern men’s fashion boutique Bruce Julian Clothier
What: The boutique is a preeminent Charlotte NC fashion source, opened in 1965. Bruce’s personal style is every bit as interesting as the shop itself, which is also home to a Bloody Mary bar in the back. Look to him for modern ways to dress a Southern gentleman. Elevate your ability to wear linen, don a hat, or pair unexpected suit colors and patterns.
Follow: @brucejulians
brucejulian.com
Windy O’Connor – Charlotte NC Style Influencer
Who: An abstract painter and a textile/wallpaper designer.
What: Windy is yet another example of someone who brings artistic vision off the canvas and into her own fashion choices. Much like her paintings, you can often find her decked out in trend-forward bright colors, playful textures, and softer, feminine touches. Windy’s studio is in South End at 2222 Hawkins Street. There, you can view and buy her paintings, textile designs, and hand-painted silk pillows and fabrics.
Follow: @windyoconnorofficial
windyoconnor.com
Sarah Wrenn Donelan – Charlotte NC Fashion Influencer
Who: Sarah Wrenn Donelan is the longtime Creative Sales Director at Noble Food and Pursuits.
What: In addition to driving the restaurant industry forward, Sarah is an expert event designer. Plus, she studied contemporary art at Christie’s in London and she is a custom cake baker. Whether she’s hands-on in one of the restaurants, setting up a longtable dinner in the Lowcountry, or running around her hometown of Charlotte, she seems to always effortlessly marry a classic Southern style alongside a tasteful European touch for a look that’s definingly her own.
Follow: @sawrenn
wrennhousenc.com
Vidya Gopalan
Who: A lifestyle blogger who leads with her personal style choices.
What: She ranks high on our Charlotte NC style influencers list because Vidya helms a popular social media presence and blog under the name “Queen City Trends.” In addition to outfits, Vidya shares her family life and travel. Look to her for inspiration on the latest trends that can be worn daily and with ease.
Follow: @queencitytrends
queencitytrends.com
Amanda Laird Cherry – Charlotte NC Style Influencer
Who: A prolific South African designer who now resides in Charlotte, Amanda runs a self-named fashion line, Amanda Laird Cherry Apparel.
What: Amanda first showed at South African Fashion Week in 1999. In addition to her own designer label, she co-founded an international boutique called The Space. Her pieces, both mens and womenswear, explore the deeply political and personal history of South Africa. Her style marries multiple cultural influences into haute couture.
Follow: @amandalairdcherry
Nesha Pai – Charlotte NC Fashion Influencer
Who: Nesha is a speaker, author, business-owner, and entrepreneur.
What: As a CPA, mom, and busy business owner, Nesha has every reason to neglect a personal aesthetic. Part of her charm and success comes from her ability to elevate a career that others might think of as left-brained only into a creative, stylish endeavor. Who wouldn’t want a killer CPA who you can also tap for how to style the season’s hottest trends?
Follow: @neshapai
neshapai.com
Frankie Zombie
Who: A creative do-it-all, known for contemporary abstract art forms ranging from interior design, to automotive design, fashionable apparel, and murals.
What: Frankie’s love for culture, equality, respect, and freedom culminated in 2020 when he participated in a creative Civil Rights Movement with Charlotte’s “Black Lives Matter” Mural and later when he organized his own 16 Artist “Black Lives Matter” Mural in his hometown. It’s no surprise that his love for the arts translates into his own daily wear which is casual, cool, and perfectly accessorized.
Follow: @frankie.zombie_
Felicia Bittle
Who: Felicia is a Charlotte-based style consultant and entrepreneur who goes by the business name “Styling by Fab.”
What: Felicia’s expertise built over 15-plus years is in the realm of personal and magazine styling, wardrobe consultations, and media and speaking engagements, including curating style segments for the Charlotte Today Show. Her looks are always trend-forward and wearable, but with a little edge that’s uniquely her own.
Pam Stowe – Charlotte NC Fashion Influencer
Who: A community activist for several philanthropic efforts, including Stand for Animals.
What: Pam has deep ties to the community: Her husband’s uncle, Daniel Stowe, started the botanical garden 20 years ago, and Pam sits on on the Art in the Garden task force. An animal-lover, she also contributes regularly to many other efforts across the city. Pam’s style is one of the more well knowns among Charlotte NC style influencers. She is eccentric, flashy, and fun. You’ll catch her in unexpected takes on all kinds of looks, and typically accessorized to a tee.
Hade Robinson
Who: Hade is a style contributor, Charlotte NC fashion events organizer, pageant judge, and the Styling Sales Manager at Nordstrom in SouthPark.
What: Affectionately called “The Charlotte Style Guy,” A list of Charlotte NC style influencers wouldn’t be complete with out Hade. His own look is a blend he terms “classic-traditional luxury.” Beyond modeling how to dress himself, Hade focuses on managing a 250-plus SouthPark team so their customers are getting top-notch styling tips, too. Hade also maintains a handful of personal clients.
Follow: @cltstyleguy
Tamu Curtis
Who: CEO and founder of Liberate Your Palate and The Cocktailery.
What: What is now The Cocktailery first grew as a concept from Liberate Your Palate, Curtis’ original business that she created in 2015. Curtis is a self-described “lover of a good cocktail party,” so it makes perfect sense that LYP and The Cocktailery are ways for Tamu to provide services for the craft drink enthusiast. As any good party lover, Tamu is always rocking a look chic enough for day or night, and we love the way she can rock neutrals and splashy colors with equal effortlessness.
Follow: @tamucurtis
thecocktailery.com
Richard Pattison
Who: Co-founder and co-owner of legendary Charlotte NC fashion store Taylor, Richards, & Conger.
What: As one of the founding members of the highly respected, luxury specialty store in SouthPark, Richard Pattison is an easy shoe-in for any fashion roundup. The store opened in 1986, and Richard has continued to not only elevate the look of Charlotte men, (and for nearly two decades, Charlotte’s women, too) but also to continue to play with his own personal style, sporting European-inspired, perfectly tailored clothing no matter when you catch him. If you want to refine or class up your wardrobe, Richard is the pinnacle of that look.
Chandra Johnson – Charlotte NC Fashion Influencer
Who: The owner of Myer’s Park’s SOCO Gallery.
What: Chandra comes to her style chops honestly: The former fashion model has long loved fine art photography, and began producing pop-up exhibitions that eventually turned into her 2015 brick-and-mortar. She opened SOCO Gallery, a contemporary art space and bookshop, and the gallery has featured the works of Sally Mann, Scott Avett, Jackie Gendel, Austin Eddy, Juan Logan and more. Chandra’s look is a touch Southern, a touch high fashion, and always an inspiration.
@chandrajohnson
socogallery.com
