Alumni Spotlight Sarah-Hamlin Hastings ’87

BEYOND THE GATES: ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Sarah-Hamlin Hastings ’87

1. You opened Fritz Porter Design Collective in Charleston in 2015. How did the concept originate? Has the business changed over time?

We had just moved back to Charleston from Connecticut, and I was in the process of renovating our house when I came to the realization that there were very limited resources in Charleston for interior designers and retail customers looking to decorate their homes. After living in the New York City area for so many years, it was unfathomable to me that I had to drive six hours to Atlanta to source fabrics and custom furniture. So I decided to open a design showroom that was open to design trade professionals but also available to retail customers. We created a sort of hybrid business model that was one part home accessories and antiques, one part custom furniture, fabric and wallpaper, and finally one part design services to help customers bring it all together. We have tweaked the business model along the way based on sales and customer feedback, but the core concept has remained consistent— providing a place to find top quality unique pieces for your home with the highest customer service.

Fritz Porter Design Collective in the Old Cigar Factory

2. What was it like to grow up in the Lowcountry? What was your educational and career path after Charleston Day School? How did you find your way back to Charleston?

Like many things, I didn’t appreciate how wonderful it was to grow up in a place like Charleston until I left many years later. It was an idyllic childhood spent hanging out at Hazel Parker Playground, crabbing off the dock at my grandparents house on Shem Creek, meeting up with friends at “The Gorm” in the Market and riding our bikes all over town (including to school every day, rain or shine!). Charleston Day was, and still is, such a special place to go to school—the small classes, the amazing teachers, and the fact that you are smack in the middle of the city make it a really unique place to learn and grow. I am still in touch with almost everyone from my CDS class, and many of them, like me, moved away after college and then eventually found our way back to Charleston. In my case, I went to New York for a job right after I graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1995 and met Matt, who is now my husband. We ended up staying in the NYC area for over 15 years. I worked as an editorial assistant at Elle Decor magazine before finding my way into the interior design business. I worked for Cullman and Kravis in New York, Stiles Colwill in Baltimore and John Rosselli in New York before going out on my own. In 2010, Matt and I decided that we wanted to raise our children closer to family, so we moved back to Charleston.

Photo Credit: Gateley Williams

3. When you were a student at Charleston Day School, what do you remember most? Were there teachers and/or events that helped shape you into who you are today? Were you interested then in art, antiques and design?

I loved riding my bike to school with friends from my neighborhood, getting really proficient at Tetherball and Four Square during recess, learning to use my height to my advantage on the basketball court with Coach Harrington, and being empowered by the faculty to put together something as important as the yearbook in eighth grade. One of the most memorable things from my time at CDS was moving from the State Street location to the current location on Archdale Street my eighth grade year. We buried a time capsule on the campus to document the occasion that I hope to be around to open one day. I was also given the opportunity in the eighth grade (along with a few classmates) to “design and decorate” our Senior Lounge. I don’t think the end result wasn’t anything earth shattering, but it was so cool to be entrusted to do something like that. All of these things seem so ordinary, but they had a huge impact on me at the time. Being given these unique opportunities helped instill a confidence that I could do anything I put my mind to.

4. What qualities did you develop during your time at Charleston Day School that have benefitted you as an entrepreneur?

I think one of the most important things I learned from my time at CDS was how to be an effective writer from our beloved fifth grade teacher Dottie Rhett. She had the perfect balance of pushing you to be better but in a soft spoken and encouraging way. And even though I am not a professional writer, I have realized along the way what an important skill it is in any profession. I was lucky enough to be a finalist in the very first CDS Speech Contest, and at the time we all thought it was crazy to have to get up and give a speech to the entire student body as an 11-year-old. But she showed us the way and instilled the confidence in every one of her students that they could be articulate and effective as a speaker. The ability to stand up and speak in front of a crowd, write an intelligent essay and deliver my point to someone in a clear concise manner is all from her. 5. You have also been a Charleston Day School parent. What helped to make the decision to send your children to CDS?

the same, so it was a very easy decision for us. 6. What do you do in your free time? As I have gotten older, I have learned to appreciate the simple things—spending time with Matt and our boys (Jack ’16, Charlie, Thomas ’20 and Henry ’20), volunteering at the local pet Fabric offerings at Fritz Porter shelter, playing with my own dogs, sitting on the beach with a good book, cooking for my family, etc. But my favorite thing is to travel with family and friends. I love discovering new places—it is educational, but it also inspires my business and design work. 7. What advice would you have for a CDS student? Take advantage of the opportunities you have being at such a small school—it is a unique experience to have such a close knit community when you are young. While it can seem stifling at times (second semester of eighth grade!), it is because those teachers know you so well that they can challenge you and help you grow.

The simple answer is I wanted our boys to have the same incredible experience I had. Though the staff, location and look of the school have changed over the years, the mission and core values are still 7. Last question: Red or Blue - which are you?

GO BLUE!