by Nicki Brashear, Published by Examiner.com  December 14, 2010

Squasht by Les

Known for her ready-to-wear pieces and reversible hats, Lesley Timpe has created a Chicago frenzy for her subtly sophisticated and quirky collection. Squasht by Les is a women-owned and operated clothing and accessory company. The collection has an European feel and includes dresses, skirts, tops, tunics, headbands, handbags and her well-known reversible hats. Lesley prefers to work with sensuous yet honest fabrics such as organic soy-cotton, pima cotton in vintage 1980s prints, vintage velveteen, imported Italian wool, and silk tweed. Growing up in St. Louis, Lesley created scarves, tube skirts and other 80s era-inspired pieces for her sister to wear including a prom dress with removable sleeves. With a passion for fashion, she went to a fashion design school in Spain where she learned the trade and pursued her dream of becoming a fashion designer.

In 2004 after returning to St. Louis from Spain, Squasht by Les was created and the collection really took off.  In 2006, Lesley knew she needed more options for production and brought her collection to Chicago where she started selling wholesale to boutiques. When she moved to Chicago in 2008, she started to attend events and trade shows to establish visibility and soon the collection soon took off. Lesley says the biggest difference between Chicago, Los Angeles and New York is that “Chicago embraces locally-made and that the fashion here is customized to the beat of their own drum”.

Lesley’s beautiful and unique creations do beat to their own drum. And now you can see her designs for yourself: Squasht by Les, her first boutique, opened this past May at 2556 Chicago Avenue in Chicago in Ukranian Village and is also carried in boutiques throughout the country. Click here for retailers near you. What do we have to look forward to in 2011 from Squasht by Les? More great designs made with soy cotton, mixed media and fringe necklines.

Squasht by Les is offering 20% off to my blog readers. Simply mention this article when visiting.