LI\DA SCHLESINGER p R
Is SEWING SUCCESS
WITH KIDS' CLOTHES
I\ OVER 300 STORES
ACROSS THE COL NTRY.
Lin E
BY CARLA JEAN SCHWARTZ
1
j
inda and Gerry Schlesinger
are in Bloomingdales
looking at the children's
clothes.
"Oh, isn't this pink dress with
the lace collar designed by
Annie's Antics just precious,"
says Linda.
"It's fabulous," says Gerry.
The sales staff and the
customers agree. But the
Schlesingers decide not to make
the purchase. Linda Schlesinger
doesn't need the dress. She
owns hundreds of these dresses
and other pieces of upscale,
children's clothing as the
designer and owner of Annie's
Antics.
Linda Schlesinger still marvels
that clothes she designs and sells
are in 300 stores in the United
States including the posh
department stores of Saks Fifth
Avenue, Bloomingdale's, I.
Magnin and Burdines.
Schlesinger, age 39, designs
an expensive line of spring, fall
and holiday clothing. Prices begin
with a $7 headband and climb to
$240 for a special occasion
dress. The outfits range from
cotton infant sleepers to suede
106 Jewish News
Bat Mitzvah dresses to adult
T-shirts. All the clothes have fun
designs — colorful stripes,
hearts, lace, pearls and glitter
appliques.
"It's fun, innovative and artsy,"
says Schlesinger, describing her
clothes as she mills through her
workroom. The cramped
workroom has piles of fabrics and
large spools of thread in every
imaginable color. There's a few
sewing machines and two
workers are busy cutting and
stitching.
Dozens of yellow T-shirts, with
matching boxer shorts and white,
triangle appliques with
rhinestones are ready to be
shipped across the country.
Other spring fashions consist of
cotton sweaters with character
designs, stars, stripes and a
candy box motif all with matching
leg warmers.
The business called Annie's
Antics began in 1983 with six
samples. In 1986 the company
had revenues of almost
$500,000. Now in the midst of
taking fall orders, the company is
quickly approaching the one-half
million dollars at mid-year. "We
have all the orders, it's just getting
them made," says Schlesinger.
Her sewing career began at
age eight sewing doll clothes with
her grandmother, and continued
with high school home
economics at Livonia Franklin.
After graduation she attended
Ohio State for almost two years.
She then persuaded her parents
to allow her to enter the family
business, a tool manufacturing
company.
In 1977, married with one child,
and now a full-fledged
homemaker, Linda found herself
bored. After a few miscarriages
she desperately wanted another
child, but that seemed futile. So,
she decided to use her business
experience and open a store.
"The store was going to be my
baby." With financial backing
from her husband, she opened
the store Rainbow Lollipop in
Birmingham with expensive
children's clothing.
The store did quite well and
within a few years, the store
moved to Somerset Mall. But the
best news was that after signing
her lease at Somerset, whe was
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