Getting to know the manager of Charleston's Cynthia Rowley fashion store

On a recent weekday morning, I met up with Lindsay Fleege, the manager at Cynthia Rowley, who had invited me to the store for a casual interview before it opened.

Dressed in a sleeveless tunic over leggings and a pair of flats, she greeted me at the front door and, after an offer of some bottled water, encouraged me to look around.

The store, Rowley's first in the South, is beautifully decorated with a polished wood floor, mirrored surfaces, white walls, gorgeous fresh flowers and a glossy black parson's table that runs through the center of the store. Lilac drapes separate the front of the store from an intimate fitting area decorated with chairs and an ottoman.

It was the ottoman where Fleege and I settled in for our chat.

After growing up around Pensacola, Fla., she took off for college in New York, where she studied dance. A love of fashion, though, led to several internships at Chanel, W and Vogue magazines and Burberry. Her first job after graduating was at InStyle magazine, where she was the assistant to the accessories director.

Two years later, she received a call from Chanel to work in the PR department.

Fleege's move to Charleston in fall 2009 was the result of wanting a "life change." Her job search led to the position at Cynthia Rowley, which she started a week before Charleston Fashion Week.

In addition to being the store manager, Fleege also is responsible for event outreach and regional PR for the Chicago, Boston and Charleston stores. A recent event was an Earth Day partnership with Charleston Waterkeeper in which the store donated 15 percent of sales to the nonprofit organization.

When asked about the Cynthia Rowley customer, Fleege said she, "likes to have fun, is flirty but still classic in her style." A Rowley customer also uses quirky pieces that can really add to a look.

I wondered what Cynthia Rowley was like in person, and Fleege described the designer as an easy conversationalist, very engaged and personable.

After being in Charleston for seven months, Fleege says it's starting to feel like home. She admires the local style, especially how the men dress, and finds that people in Charleston have a genuine awareness of fashion. Her own style is a mix of high and low. She likes the Target Go International collections (we were both excited about Zac Posen hitting stores this week), J. Brand jeans and vintage jewelry.

In her spare time, Fleege enjoys antiquing, taking ballet classes, the beach at Sullivan's Island, riding her bike, coffee at Hope & Glory and eating at FIG, Monza and Taco Boy.