ABOUT
Located in a historic building dating back to 1878, Hampden stands out on Charleston’s famous King Street with nearly 10,000 square feet of the most unique designer assortment of ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, & accessories. Owner, Stacy Smallwood, travels the world to handpick each item to create not only an exciting fashion destination but also an inviting atmosphere. Featured in Southern Living, Coastal Living, Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, NY Times, Harper`s Bazaar, and more, Hampden continues to be recognized as one of the Best Stores in the Country and has earned a reputation for pushing the envelope of traditional Southern Style.
A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Stacy began her career in fashion in the prestigious Neiman Marcus buying program in Dallas, TX as an assistant buyer and was further promoted to department manager in the flagship store. After gaining experience at such a well respected retailer, she continues to use those critical retailing tenets to establish a forward vision for Hampden.
Whether she is styling her clientele in a dressing room or curating a box of specially chosen items to send to her loyal customers across the country, helping a woman feel her best is what drives Stacy to continually seek out the newest designers and change her brand mix every season. By attending fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan, and Paris, Stacy constantly has her pulse on the fashion industry and has become a respected resource for fashion insiders far and wide.
STACY SMALLWOOD
When I think about my company’s Core Values, I think simply about how I want to show up in my life as a person and how I want to be treated. When owning a business people often think about how they want to be perceived instead of reflecting on how they want to show up for their clients and how they want their clients to feel when they leave the doors.
AUTHENTICITY
Authenticity is not a word often used when describing the core values of a small business let alone a women’s clothing store. A small business is more than the brick and mortar walls that it inhabits. It is one person’s careful planning, sleepless nights, bold risks, and willingness to do anything and everything in their power to bring their vision to life to ultimately tell a story. With Hampden, I wanted to bring designers together that are emerging into fashion and trying to tell their own stories through their art. Each season I search the world for collections that inspire me, and I hand select each piece that hangs in Hampden. Each piece has a purpose, a story, a reason for being there and I proudly hang them together as something I have cultivated.
CONNECTION
Connection is at the core of what we do at Hampden. We have been in the dressing room with women at some of the most vulnerable and the most exciting times in their lives. We are encouraging them as they learn to dress a new body shape after a double mastectomy, listening to their fears as they get dressed to face a new life without their spouse, and sharing in their excitement as they find a new dress for their daughter’s wedding. We don’t just help you find a dress, a top, and outfit; but instead we connect with you so we can listen to you, support you, and dress you for those moments in life that are the most important. We all get dressed in the morning, and we are here to help you feel your most beautiful at each moment in your life.
GRATITUDE
I am grateful for each and every day that I get to do what I love. I am grateful when women say they have never felt more beautiful when wearing clothing they found at Hampden. When women say they felt empowered to take on their most difficult day because they felt beautiful. I am grateful when women trust us to try a new style because they know we would never put them in anything that doesn’t bring out their beauty or their personality. I am grateful for my incredible team that believes in my vision and do not work on commission to make themselves more money but instead for the best interests of the clients. I am grateful for my incredible E-commerce team that runs every single aspect of this website in house and is constantly evolving the site to better suit the needs of our clients.
HAMPDEN - 314 King Street
The main storefront resides at 314 King Street and continues to gain recognition for its unique assortment of 100+ coveted American and European designer RTW and accessories brands, including Stella McCartney, Isabel Marant, Proenza Schouler, Khaite, Tibi, Dorothee Schumacher, Golden Goose, and more. With a focus on creating clean lines with an inviting atmosphere, Hampden's January 2017 renovation included adding industrial fixtures to allow the clothing to hang against a clean backdrop and installing Rebecca Atwood wallpaper and plush carpeting in the dressing rooms for glamour.
Shop with UsJAMES
In November 2012, Hampden expanded to 4,200 square feet with the opening of an adjacent accessories boutique, JAMES (a nod to Stacy's great great grandfather, James Hampden Small. JAMES features footwear, handbags, jewelry, and accessories from brands like Alexandre Birman, Golden Goose, Isabel Marant, Jennifer Fisher, Lizzie Fortunato, and more.
Shop with UsHAMPDEN - 312 King Street
In January 2020, another expansion was completed adjacent to Hampden and James at 312 King Street. The wall was opened between James and 312, making Hampden the largest storefront on King Street. The new space features a dedicated fine jewelry section, life size touch screen kiosk to browse the website and view outfit ideas, and a VIP suite on the second floor for private appointments.
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