Southern Charm star Charley Manley is a work of art at Daniel Island gallery

Charley Manley is not your typical 28-year-old.

The “Southern Charm” co-star and successful fashion model is also a gallery associate and art consultant at Meyer Vogl Gallery on Daniel Island and downtown Charleston.  

“It was always a dream of mine to work in the art field,” said Manley, who moved to Charleston after graduating from Clemson University in 2020 and soon found a niche modeling for local brands like Hampden clothing on King Street, Gwynn’s of Mount Pleasant, and LulaKate wedding and party attire.  

Manley was living downtown on Queen Street, where she enjoyed visiting nearby galleries, when she got her break in the art world.  

“I was at Harken Cafe with a friend and said we should pop into Meyer Vogl because it’s my favorite gallery. Sitting right beside us was the gallery’s photographer, who mentioned they were looking for someone to fill a part-time position,” said Manley, who was thrilled when she landed the job. “It’s been three-and-a-half years now, and I love it.” 

As a gallery associate and art consultant, Manley assists in the daily operations at Meyer Vogl, helps customers select artwork, and promotes exhibitions and featured artists. 

“Being in the gallery is a lot like a retail job – when people come in, you ask what their interests are and if they are looking for anything in particular,” she said. “But the real work is in the follow-up with the clients.”  

That includes responding to email inquiries about specific artwork and keeping in mind the tastes of existing customers to let them know about new work from their favorite artists. Manley also collaborates with the gallery’s social media team and with interior designers who borrow artwork to stage houses. 

After integrating into the cultural and social scenes of Charleston for nearly five years, Manley got a call to audition for the Bravo reality TV series “Southern Charm.” 

“One of my close friends had just finished her first season on the show, and through my friendship with her, I began spending more and more time with the cast members,” she said. “Because of that, I had the opportunity to audition for the show and was selected.” 

“Southern Charm” season 11 aired in November 2025, with Manley featured mingling with Charleston socialites, working in the Meyer Vogl gallery, and spending time with her family. 

“They do a good job of showing everyone’s personal lives besides just the drama within the group,” she said. “I really enjoyed it and felt like I was able to show unfiltered parts of my life without it being fake.” 

Manley, who manages to juggle her modeling career, gallery job, and TV role with aplomb, will also make appearances in the upcoming season of “Southern Charm,” which is scheduled to air Nov. 12. 

“They try to work around your schedule because ultimately, they want to show your real life,” she said of the program producers. “We only film for three months out of the year, and the gallery is so understanding that I’m always able to do both, which I really appreciate.” 

With her newfound celebrity, Manley said people often recognize her around Charleston, especially tourists in town for bachelorette parties and weekend getaways. 

“I get recognized a lot more here than anywhere else, but I sometimes get stopped when I’m visiting New York or Boston,” she said. “It’s a popular show.” 

But Manley is no stranger to the spotlight. The former junior pageant queen grew up in the small town of Greenwood, South Carolina, where she was named Miss Midstate Teen in 2015 and represented her hometown in the 2018 Miss South Carolina USA pageant. 

Manley loves to travel and often visits her parents and older sister in Greenwood, her younger sister, who lives in New York City, and her boyfriend’s family in Boston. She is dating fellow Charleston transplant and reality TV Star, Justin Assad, a cast member on “Southern Hospitality.” 

For several years, Manley has enjoyed showcasing her flair for fashion on Instagram and TikTok, but the added exposure of “Southern Charm” has helped turn her hobby into a profitable side hustle promoting clothing brands and boutiques as a social media influencer.  

“I think working in the gallery has made me so much more creative. I am not talented at drawing or painting, but the way I found I can express myself creatively is through my outfits,” said Manley, who one day would like to start her own fashion brand and last year taught herself to crotchet to enhance her artistry and spend less time on her phone.  

“I’m taking more risks fashion wise, putting pieces together that might not be common to Charleston or southern style. In the past I would think I can wear an outfit in New York but not Charleston, but after getting older and working in the gallery and being on TV, I’m like, why not? Why can’t I wear it in Charleston? Of course I can!”