Biography
Leslie Saleson, Designer for Luxury Basics
Leslie has been designing her hand crafted jewelry pieces in Los Angeles for the past six years, initially as a hobby with many fans and since December, 2007, as a full time engagement. She comes by her talent the old fashioned way - she inherited it. Her mother was an artist when she was growing up in Evanston, Illinois and exposed her and her siblings to the world class art and architecture in the Chicago area and at home, where she was surrounded by art on a constant basis. In college, she was able to take numerous courses in art history with her history major, and ever since, has had an enduring and active interest in art, sculpture and architecture.
Her greatest influence has been Japanese art and design throughout the ages.
Although she discovered early on that drawing was not one of her strengths, Leslie used her design and handicraft skills at an early age, designing and making jewelry at age 9, knitting and crocheting, designing and making clothes and making pottery at varying times throughout her life. More recently, she has also enjoyed designing furniture. She has collected art and crafts since college.
Her career in jewelry design is a relatively newer one, having retired as a successful serial entrepreneur and CEO, with a substantial stint as an investment banker. She had many well known clients in fashion design, fabric design and manufacture and jewelry.
From a design standpoint, Leslie's designs are modern and artful, yet classic. She is not seduced by trend or fad. She sees her jewelry designs as timeless and wearable, but not so dear that they need to be locked up at night. Leslie prefers to work with beautiful pearls, high quality stones and metals that will stand the test of time, such as 14k gold and silver from northern Thailand.
She lives and works in her home studio surrounded by nature in Benedict Canyon, California with her husband and daughter.
Leslie has been designing her hand crafted jewelry pieces in Los Angeles for the past six years, initially as a hobby with many fans and since December, 2007, as a full time engagement. She comes by her talent the old fashioned way - she inherited it. Her mother was an artist when she was growing up in Evanston, Illinois and exposed her and her siblings to the world class art and architecture in the Chicago area and at home, where she was surrounded by art on a constant basis. In college, she was able to take numerous courses in art history with her history major, and ever since, has had an enduring and active interest in art, sculpture and architecture.
Her greatest influence has been Japanese art and design throughout the ages.
Although she discovered early on that drawing was not one of her strengths, Leslie used her design and handicraft skills at an early age, designing and making jewelry at age 9, knitting and crocheting, designing and making clothes and making pottery at varying times throughout her life. More recently, she has also enjoyed designing furniture. She has collected art and crafts since college.
Her career in jewelry design is a relatively newer one, having retired as a successful serial entrepreneur and CEO, with a substantial stint as an investment banker. She had many well known clients in fashion design, fabric design and manufacture and jewelry.
From a design standpoint, Leslie's designs are modern and artful, yet classic. She is not seduced by trend or fad. She sees her jewelry designs as timeless and wearable, but not so dear that they need to be locked up at night. Leslie prefers to work with beautiful pearls, high quality stones and metals that will stand the test of time, such as 14k gold and silver from northern Thailand.
She lives and works in her home studio surrounded by nature in Benedict Canyon, California with her husband and daughter.