ABOUT

     Hi, I’m TL.  I grew up in Lebanon, Tennessee where antique stores and county fairs are the talk of the town. The closest thing to a pool or beach was the creek that ran through our front yard. I went to the beach only once in my adolescence.  At three years old, I can still remember everything from the nostalgic smell of sunscreen to the sounds of Sam and Dave blaring through the speakers of my Dad’s 1980-something conversion van. The ocean was never-ending and the days were sunny and perfect. It stuck with me forever and I always wanted more.     

   In my senior year of college, I was told that I could not showcase swimwear in my senior collection because it may be too risqué for the fashion show. Challenge accepted. I graduated with a degree in Fashion design and dreamed up my first swimwear runway collection that summer. I cut the pieces of fabric on my bedroom floor and scouted my friends as runway models. Every chance I got on vacation was an opportunity to convince a family member to slip on a swimsuit to model my work in a picturesque beach scene.

I like to call myself a “land-locked mermaid.” Inspired by the West coast and everything SoCal, Gwen Stefani, and No Doubt have been a huge inspiration for my designs. (Cue the “Hella” in Hella TL.) Back in high school, I played in a band with my friends. Music took a major role in some of my earliest designs, allowing me to create looks to wear on stage for some of our shows. I now create my unique collections, now swimwear, in my Nashville studio. Each design starts out as a dream or idea and is thoughtfully constructed with my own two hands. I choose rich colors and patterns that are undeniably classy, yet adventurous.

       Why swimwear? I could never find exactly what I wanted. I wanted bold, glamour, and excitement that would celebrate every woman’s silhouette. I believe swimwear should make a woman feel confident in more ways than a bikini can offer. Summer is the season to go and be adventurous. A swimsuit is the attire for the perfect summer celebration.  You are the celebration.