Jan 28, 2008 By Robert Hensley 4 min read

It was a blustery winter afternoon as I made my way down East Carson Street toward the very hip boutique Torque Denim to meet with local fashion designer Linda Lacek. Her new collection is available exclusively at Torque, which is owned and operated by her daughter Rachaellee. A strong gust of wind caught the door as I entered and I nearly fell into this powerhouse of a designer. Upon first glance, Linda is a savvy woman with a ton of energy. She’s ready to talk fashion and style, and not just about her own line, but the importance of educating the consumer.

Linda has an illustrious design background. She’s studied at Parsons School of Design and the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, among other institutions of higher education. Her design career in fashion started in Visual Merchandising, but Linda was not discouraged and eventually launched a bridal line.

Her Spring collection debuted at Pittsburgh’s Local Motion fashion event this past fall. She showed her work along with other local fashion talents. Linda enjoyed the experience and the teamwork that went into the production.

“Shows like Local Motion are great because they open doors for young designers,” said Linda, who believes that designers are not taught the importance of tailoring and fit. Her collection is all made-to-order and built to each customer’s measurements.

Linda’s current line is a mix of eras and textures. Styles reminiscent of the 1920’s and 60’s have been revamped and made modern in light denim and tapestry fabrics. Fun, bright, bold prints keep the look casual, but the cut and fit make a woman looked dressed. Styles for Spring include several beautifully tailored jackets, a denim sundress, an a-line mini skirt, front-button jeans, tuxedo blouses, and chic capris.

Each piece is designed with the ability to be resized for every woman. If it can be made to fit a size four, it can be made for a size 14. The silhouettes lend themselves to flatter almost every body type and size.

“There is no perfect woman. At least I haven’t seen her,” remarked Linda of her designs. ” Clothes aren’t just for models. I like for people to feel good, and see that they can wear what everyone else is wearing.”

Linda’s designs meet a need that has been skipped over by most retail lines. The average woman in the United States is a size 18. Women need options, and Linda is ready to give them!

While Linda believes that women need options, and that the consumer needs to be educated about product quality versus a bargain, she doesn’t think that fashion needs to cost a fortune. One of her favorite stores is the St. Vincent De Paul thrift store in Greensburg. She recently loaded up her car with brand new shoes from Talbots, all in their boxes with the tags still attached!

Believe it or not, Linda has quite a few connections to Uniontown. She has worked with several local business owners on creating displays and decorating for events. She’s worked with both DeMarco’s and South Street Grill. Her hairstylist was even here in Uniontown for a time!

“I think Uniontown has a lot of potential,” said the designer. “It’s in the perfect location to be a fashion hub. Not far from Cumberland, and central to Morgantown and Pittsburgh, Uniontown could be a destination for fashion.”

After meeting with this spunky designer, I can’t help but feel that Uniontown’s fashion potential has been overlooked and underutilized. Even with an icy wind blowing about my ears, I feel that it could be a wind of change as more local designers, like Linda Lacek, make themselves known in the fashion arena. Who knows, maybe it is just a matter of time before Uniontown becomes a shopping destination?