August 16th, 2012 
Independence is the new black. Especially for former Creative Director of Charleston Magazine and “fairy godmother” of Charleston Fashion Week, Ayoka Lucas. After 10 years of working with Charleston’s biggest magazine, Ayoka has launched a business of her own that includes fashion styling, consulting, trend tracking and emcee-ing. With Charleston Magazine being her leading client, she’s also called upon by the likes of Essence Magazine, MTV News, ESPN and ABC/CBS affiliates. And to think, it all started with a letter to the editor of Charleston Magazine to start her own fashion column. To say she is a go-getter is an understatement.
(Photo Credit: Sonia K. Hendrix)
“Everyone wants to step outside the box at some point in their career!” said Lucas. “This new venture will allow me to work with a variety of people in a number of different ways. I’ve found that over the years people have reached out to me for assistance in many fashion related areas and I am now able to accommodate many of those requests. I’m truly excited about the possibilities of starting new relationships and lending my gifts and vision to new projects!“
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Ayoka as a designer for Charleston Fashion Week‘s first Emerging Designer Competition in 2008. Since its beginning, it has been amazing to see the event grow from six local designers to over 20 artists from across the nation. Grossing over $2.4 million in the five day event, CFW has put Charleston on the fashion radar.
National and International attention has been brought to our beautiful city and, for one week of the year, people around the globe look to Charleston for its budding talents. What makes Ayoka stand out is her constant support and love she gives to designers and artists of our city. Her passion to promote, encourage and guide young talent is a gift to all who have been honored with the chance to showcase their work. What started out as a dream and idea that she pitched and developed years ago has become a reality for the chosen designers to see their looks walk down the runway.
“For close to 10 years now, Charleston Magazine has allowed me to document and cultivate the fashion and design community through their editorial pages, fashion spreads, street style features, blogs and of course the greatest accomplishment of my career, turning a simple vision I had into one of the nation’s leading fashion events with the production of Charleston Fashion Week,” said Lucas. “The ability to take on new projects is an incredible feeling for a creatively driven thinker like me. Growth is essential and I have so much more to give!”
And now it’s time for Ayoka to begin and conquer another chapter of her life. As you can tell, she is a woman who gets things done while making her dreams and the dreams of others a reality. I have no doubt that she will continue to be a great success into whatever she puts her energy. Visit www.ayokalucas.com to keep your eye on what exciting and stylish adventures she will take on next and to inquire her fashion mind to help your style reach the next level. Guaranteed to impress.
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