Hi! I am Lorna Madeline Leslie, the owner of Madeline Leslie London.

 

As a child I did not really like my middle name. At the time it just felt too old for a child. Bless my parents for trying to make me feel special as they explained the history of the name.  I learnt that Madeline was the name of my paternal grandmother, who I unfortunately never got the opportunity to meet. But even with the sentimental attachment, I definitely avoided using it.

 

I remember when my long held, deep seated thoughts about my name, Madeline, were suddenly obliterated in one purposeful encounter! A pivotal moment, if you please! A sales assistant working in the perfumery I had visited, noticed my name during the process of transaction. I remember it like it was yesterday. She voiced my whole name, “Lorna Madeline Leslie”. I did not really think much of it, but her next comment is what destabilised me; she exclaimed “What a beautiful name”. For the very first time, I thought to myself “yes it is a beautiful name”. In the immediacy of the moment, I personally connected with my middle name and the legacy it carries.

 

Growing up, I remember always having a mature sense of style in the way that I dressed.  From a youth into adulthood, I have always been confident in my style; without apology. On reflection, I have never allowed the opinions of others to determine what I wore.

 

I owe a great deal of gratitude to my Mother. She was a dressmaker, and this definitely formed the foundation in developing my own personal style at an early age. I would design my own styles and my Mother would effortlessly transform what I had on paper and create a masterpiece.  With all the money we saved on buying clothing, we became accustomed to wearing pretty pricey shoes.  As a teenager, shoes were my greatest love. A little later, handbags became one too.

 

For me, style confidence is the ability to look at yourself in the mirror and admire the person looking back at you.  There is no room for being preoccupied with thoughts concerning what other people think about what you wear.  I discovered early on that style confidence is a way of being that has to be developed.  Being confident in your personal style is reflected in the way one walks, sits and stands.

 

As an IT Professional, Business Owner and Leader, I can attest to the fact that possessing personal style confidence plays an important role in your overall presentation.  Most of you would have heard at some point, that it takes a mere 5 seconds for someone to form an opinion of you, based purely on your appearance. I am intentional in ensuring that who I am is clear from the start! In turn, my passion for developing and enhancing your personal style confidence affords me the pleasure of introducing, Madeline Leslie London!