Conversation Uncorked

Writer (and Charleston travel editor) Sandy Lang speaks during an event at SDCO Partners’ office.

Animosity was rampant among women in the national design community, noticed Jessica Walsh of New York creative agency Sagmeister & Walsh. Perhaps it was due to a competitiveness inspired by the sense that ”our chances of success in the industry are so much slimmer than our male counterparts’,” she reflected on 12kindsofkindness.com.

So the designer and art director set out to change the status quo, establishing a monthly salon promoting mentorship among women in the creative industry. Ladies, Wine and Design quickly expanded to 180 cities, with SDCO Partners’ Amy Pastre and Courtney Rowson starting a Charleston chapter last year. “Jessica’s message resonated with us,” says Pastre. “We see a lot of female creatives, but not as many as there should be in leadership roles.”

The free gatherings, centered around topics like collaboration and the confidence gap, feature entrepreneurs such as Molly Fienning of Babiators. “We try to keep it casual so people feel comfortable asking questions,” notes Rowson. For info on upcoming salons, like September 5’s chat with Gibbes Museum executive director Angela Mack, visit ladieswinedesign.com/charleston (and note that tickets get snatched up fast).