If you know Whitner Slagsvol from Bravo’s Southern Charm, you probably know him for the Charleston drama, the sharp wardrobe and, as Whitner himself puts it, the highly edited world of reality television. But on Sept. 17, he’ll be bringing a different side of himself to Nashville.
Slagsvol will host a Block + Ink pop-up trunk show at Simon Says in Wedgewood-Houston, giving Nashville shoppers a chance to meet the Southern Charm cast member, shop the brand’s newest collection, and learn more about the story behind the clothing. And that story starts pretty far from either Charleston or Nashville.
Block + Ink was born out of Slagsvol’s travels through India, where he wandered into a shop and had several shirts made in the local style.
“I had a few shirts made in the local style with some fun patterns,” Slagsvol tells us. “From that point onward, every time I wore one of these shirts, everywhere I went, they immediately got compliments.”
Those shirts eventually became the starting point for Block + Ink, a lifestyle apparel brand built around traditional Indian hand block printing and Slagsvol’s own Southern sensibility. The result is a look that he says is still relatively unusual in menswear, particularly when it comes to the combination of block-printed fabrics and collarless shirts.
“You do not find many block-print/no collar shirts on guys,” he says. “You can find plenty of funky patterns, button-downs, or even mandarin collars out there, but Block + Ink, I think, has combined all these elements into a unique look.”
For the Nashville pop-up, shoppers can expect pieces from the brand’s newest collection, including one of Slagsvol’s current favorites: a colorful toucan pattern.
“I love our new toucan pattern; it is just fun. And who doesn’t love toucans?” he says.
The skulls, anchors, and pineapples pattern is another Block + Ink staple and one of the brand’s longtime favorites.
Why Nashville?
While Slagsvol is based in Charleston, he sees plenty of common ground between the two Southern cities.
“I didn’t really know until recently, but it looks like everything that exists in Charleston has a location here, and vice versa,” he says. “I had no idea we were sister cities in that way. So, in the spirit of continuing to bridge that common ground, Nashville felt like a natural fit.”
The Sept. 17 event will take place at Simon Says, a locally owned Nashville menswear shop that Slagsvol says felt like a natural partner for Block + Ink.
“Simon Says has a history of dressing some of Nashville’s most stylish guys and gals, and their location in trendy WeHo seemed to align with the Block + Ink customer,” he says. “Plus, it’s a small business, and we love to find ways to support mom-and-pop shops!”
The event also gives Nashville a chance to see a side of Slagsvol that Southern Charm doesn’t always get to show.
“The audience has not seen me during any of my creative or entrepreneurial pursuits,” he says. “There have been minor glimpses into my legal practice, but the show prefers to follow the story of ‘who is fighting whom’ (by the way it is usually Salley), or some other such drama.”
Block + Ink, he says, offers a glimpse into what he’s doing when the cameras aren’t focused on the latest Southern Charm conflict.
“I do like fashion, I do like starting businesses, I love the constant thrill of solving the next problem and pushing a project along,” he says.
There is just one problem: Slagsvol hasn’t had much time to explore Nashville yet. His only previous visit was a brief stop while filming Southern Charm, so he doesn’t exactly have a long list of Nashville favorites to recommend. He does, however, already have one restaurant he loved.
“I LOVED the brunch at The Mockingbird,” he says before adding, “I will take any recommendations!”
So consider that an open invitation for Nashville to show him around.
The Block + Ink Pop-Up Trunk Show takes place Thursday, Sept. 17, from 6 PM to 8 PM at Simon Says (701 Merritt Ave) in Nashville. The event is free and open to the public, and guests can shop the newest collection, meet Slagsvol, and learn more about the brand’s Indian hand block-printing process.
And if you’re still wondering whether you should stop by? Slagsvol’s advice is pretty straightforward.
“Buy a shirt. Yes, you look great in it. Yes, the price is very reasonable.”
