NWA Fashion Week | Fashion For Philanthropy

Fayetteville > New York > London

Since 2005, when I started designing, I've had so many amazing opportunities to work with wonderful clients. In October, I customized a wedding gown for a very special bride and also a custom gown to be worn at the 2011 Grammy Awards.

As of late, something that has really topped the charts for my brand, Esque by Leslie Pennel, has been the chance to work with Broadway performers. I've met so many beautiful, talented and interesting characters working at The Walton Arts Center and have had the chance to share my line with them.

This December, I had an order for the Esque Wrap Dress from Alison Luff on the Broadway cast of Mama Mia. She noted that she had to have her own because she constantly borrowed Marlene Martinez's. Marlene is from the traveling cast of Mama Mia and has ordered the wrap dress from me in two different colors! I was already going to be in New York by the time the package would have arrived via USPS, so I offered to deliver it to her while I was there. What an amazing experience this was to deliver one of my pieces to the stage door of the historical Winter Garden Broadway Theatre!

When I returned home from New York, I received an email from Alison saying, “I am currently rehearsing for the Original Broadway Musical, GHOST the Musical. It originally opened in London, therefore the producers flew all of the cast to London to see the show and meet the cast, and talk with the directors. We in the cast all got snazzy for this event. I wore your BEAUTIFUL wrap dress to that show! I am so in love with this dress and look forward to wearing it every time I have the chance. It is always a hit, and everyone always loves it!”

Later I got a message from one of my other clients from the traveling cast of Guys and Dolls, Jesse Wildman, saying, “I'm doing a show(GHOST the Musical) with Alison Luff right now and she had on one of your wrap dresses on at an event in London - the same one I have, but in a different color! Small world! Your clothes are the best!” The two ladies, both on Broadway and both living in New York, had never met and did so because of an Esque dress all the way from Fayetteville, Arkansas!

I wanted to share this story with you not only because it is exciting for myself as a designer and for my brand, but to let you know that Northwest Arkansas is on the map as a place of style! We are all so looking forward to NWA Fashion Week. Please come see the Esque Spring/Summer Collection 2012, Thursday, March 8th at the East Square Plaza at Fashion Week. We look forward to seeing you there.

“Over the years, I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it.” -Yves Saint Laurent

Leslie Pennel, Esque