Like many petite women, Teresa Le often has have her clothing altered to fit her petite, 4'11" frame. Most petite lines were generally conservative-looking and the juniors' section was too young. Even when something did fit, hemming was necessary. Teresa wanted clothes that had a more "cosmopolitan, trendy vibe" that would make young petite women feel beautiful without the need of alterations. Thus, she started TLE (pronounced T-Lay) Designs, a line of boldly-printed tops and dresses that are cut for a shorter frame, as well as a line of accessories. It took Teresa around two months to start the company, using her signature. Teresa wanted to make a bold statement to the world that even though one is petite, one can make a bold presence.Teresa's tops and dresses are cut perfectly for petite women 5'4" and under and come in small, medium and large.
Teresa on why plus sizes get more attention than petites:
Society puts a lot of attention on weight and how a person should look. Unfortunately, this added attention creates more pressure and makes it more difficult for people to lose weight effectively and to sustain it. Because of this, some people are back where they started or are heavier. I think the last statistic I heard was that 60% of the population is overweight, so clothes designers have to make clothes that are accommodating for this sector of society.
On the height of her models:
My models are between 5'0" and 5'4". My main model, Heather, is 5'2".
On whether she has plans to make pants:
Yes, eventually I will design pants since they are functional aren’t they. But I find them not as exciting as
dresses and tops since dresses and tops are so versatile and fun. My love of dresses stems from the fact that it was always hard to find pants for my height. Plus, they’re so feminine and flirty.On whether many women who are under 5'4" don't realize they're petite and why:
Yes. I think there is a misconception of what being petite means, even among women. People equate being petite to being skinny and small in stature, which is not always true. You can be petite and be any size. Just today I ran into a former neighbor of mine at the post office. I was telling her about my petite line and she commented that it would be too small for her to wear. Even though she is an older, heavier woman, she was only like 5’3”.
It’s funny that since I’ve started my clothing line, I’m more aware of people’s height when I’m talking to them or see them on the street.
On designers that she admires:
I like Betsey Johnson. She’s so cool and quirky and always seems to have a lot fun. Her clothes have a whimsy about them and they’re always so colorful in both design and color. I love the fact that she doesn’t feel she has to look or act her age, which is totally cool.
Others I also like are Trina Turk and Shoshanna. Trina Turk has a great sophisticated vibe to her clothes. I like the fact that Shoshanna also her found a niche in the industry by designing for women who are more ample in the bust.
On where she sees TLE Designs in five years:I see TLE Designs making a huge impact in the world of petite fashion by paving a very wide, hip, and fashionable path for the young adults market that has, for the most part, been neglected. Yet my desire for TLE Designs goes beyond filling this void.
I want to change the way some petites view themselves. Even though you’re short, feel comfortable with yourself and like who you are. Height is not a measure of a person’s potential. When a woman buys clothes that fit her properly and compliment her personality, she has greater self-esteem and can take on the world!
My plan is to grow TLE Designs to an international clothing company. With the help of short women everywhere and their desire to have stylish clothes that fit, I would love to see the line in numerous boutiques and stores around the world! I want the name TLE Designs to be synonymous with hip, petite fashion.
Currently, one can find TLE in the following stores:
- Sophie's, 401 N Market Street, Chattanooga, TN
- Clothes Minded, 1101 Hixson Pike, Ste C, Chattanooga, TN
- Frankie and Julian's, 330 Frazier Avenue, Ste E, Chattanooga, TN
- Posh, 5510 Highway 153, Ste 7, Hixon, TN
- Ritz-Carlton Atlanta, 181 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA
