Monique Leshman is a one woman dynamo...

Monique Leshman is a one-woman dynamo whose energy, passion, and fabulous design sense that has enabled her to convert a bedroom-based, home business into one of the hottest international fashion labels in less than 3 years. Driven by the desire to express her creative talents without the compromises associated with working for others, Monique left the world of NY clothing showrooms and began pursuing her dream making costume jewelry in her home. She promoted her designs on the streets of soho in downtown NYC, and the public's enthusiastic response allowed her to grow from one tiny table to multiple displays in less than a year. Quickly, Monique's line expanded beyond costume jewelry accessories to include a wider range of goods including handbags and belts.

Consumers' continuing devotion to her designs and the appeal of her products led her to take her business to the next level. Bergdorf Goodman (among others) picked up her line and Time Magazine proclaimed one of her designs the MUST HAVE bag of the season in her first year of business. Inspired by the extraordinary reception her work was receiving and propelled by a creative drive to go beyond, Monique focused on producing a new look, creating something that hadn't been done before. She selected the clutch bag as her starting point and was determined to make her bags unique by making them in leather, embroidered with stones until fate stepped in.

Traveling to several locations around the world to find a company who could interpret her concepts for leather embroidered clutches into reality, Monique ran into a seemingly endless string of obstacles - no one could manufacture what she had designed. However, this worldwide search led Monique to a small factory known for extraordinary couture (rather than leather) embroidery work. She was inspired and transformed almost instantly. Monique developed two items, her Signature Tunic and a caftan, and chose to have them produced in 10 different prints. She presented these creations at fashion trade shows and received an overwhelming reception and the rest is history.

Today, ML is a well-known part of the NY garment industry and has grown to become an internationally known fashion house. She has the Monique Leshman label and then a secondary line called Opal by Monique Leshman, inspired by her birthstone that is intricate, and beautiful as her original designs, but available at a more modest price point.

Monique resides 2 blocks away from where it all began.