Fashion Design, Strategy & Development
Build it right the first time.
Fashion design, strategy, and development for first-time and emerging lifestyle, active, and sportswear founders.
Where you are
Where are you on your brand journey?
No two founders show up at the same place. Tell me where you're starting, and I'll meet you there.
Just starting
You have the idea. You haven't made anything yet. The internet has given you ten conflicting answers to every question. You need a plan. Not more research.
Plan your launch →Stuck in samples
Six months in. Thousands spent. Still no production-ready sample. The product isn't broken. The process is. Let's diagnose it honestly.
Audit your process →Scaling
DTC is working. The next move is bigger: wholesale, a new collection, repricing for margin. You need someone who's seen this before.
Stress-test the next move →The principles
Five principles. Every project.
These aren't slogans. They're the lessons I keep coming back to, earned the hard way and worth the wait.
Principle 1: Clarity Before Cutting
Most fashion startup failures come from a lack of clarity upstream, not from problems at production. The work happens before the first sample.
Principle 2: The Standards That Don't Move
There's a quality bar that holds whether your budget is $5K or $200K. Margins, fit, grading, tech packs. These don't bend for budget.
Principle 3: Made in the Field
Everything I teach, I learned by doing it wrong first. Lived experience over theory.
Principle 4: Quiet Process, Real Output
The work doesn't need to look loud to be working. Calm, considered, deliberate. And what gets produced actually works.
Principle 5: Stage-Specific
What you need depends on where you are. First-timer needs different work than scaling-DTC founder. We meet you where you are.
How I help
Three categories of work. One promise.
Whatever stage you're in, the work falls into three places: getting the product right, getting the strategy right, and getting it in front of the right people.
Product Development
Design, tech packs, fabric sourcing, factory partners. The hands-on craft of turning an idea into a thing that ships.
See the work →Strategy
Brand and collection planning. Launch sequencing. Pricing for the channels you actually sell in. The thinking that makes the work hold up.
See the work →Marketing
Website, digital, email, social. The systems that connect what you've built to the people who'll buy it.
See the work →What clients say
“Leslye contacted me to make some patterns for her client's line and we've stayed connected for all sorts of reasons since! She is an absolute delight to work with as she knows exactly why she is looking for but also relies on the expertise provided by her connections. It's a true team work atmosphere which is so commonly missing in the fashion industry. I was able to complete the work in a reasonable timeline for her needs and all of our transactions were seamless and smooth (puns INTENDED!)”
“Working with Leslye is valuable because she has a wealth of experience as a brand owner and technical designer! She is calm, cool and collected, which makes unexpected mishaps smooth to navigate with her help. Leslye is thoughtful, kind and cares about you and your project. She is a very clear communicator as well!”
“Highly recommend Leslye! She listened to exactly what I wanted for my website and exceeded my expectations. It was an absolute pleasure working with her! Will recommend her services to all my small business owner friends.”
“Leslye was great to work with! I appreciated her straight forward communication. She has great knowledge of technical design!”
“I came to Leslye after some real heartache with a previous consultant. She reached out to me on LinkedIn, we connected instantly, and I hired her after one call. That should tell you something.
She's authentic, always thinking outside the box, and pushes me to do the same without ever taking the wheel away from me. She gives me the courage to speak up and follow my intuition, and with zero background in fashion/design, I need that.
If you're on the fence: book a call. She knows her stuff and she gets stuff done. If it's a good fit for both of you, you better be ready to get to work!”
Who I am
I made the mistakes so you don't have to.
In 2020 I started my own fashion brand: Workery Apparel, functional workwear for women. The brand didn't end the way I hoped. The lessons did. Now I help other founders avoid the things that cost me time, money, and confidence the first time around.
Free download
Fashion Startup Checklist
Five steps from idea to first sample. Made for first-time founders who want a clear plan before they spend anything.
- Step-by-step from concept to production
- Realistic timeline benchmarks
- What to do before you contact a factory
WHEN YOU'RE READY
Every brand is different. Let's figure out what support makes sense for yours.
Discovery calls are free. Thirty minutes. No pitch.