Local Woman Proves Business, Philanthropy Can Go Hand-In-Hand

West Bloomfield resident and entrepreneur Linda Schlesinger truly is a Renaissance woman.

Schlesinger, founder and owner of Michigan-based Skinny Tees, designs, markets and sells her clothing products all across the country.

Dubbed as "The Diet You Wear," her tanks and tees are designed to flatter anyone’s figure, and they are quickly proving to be a staple purchase for women of all ages. The full line includes a range of styles including yoga pants, camisoles and bandeaus.

"Skinny Tees are incredible," said Gail Sherman, owner of the Impulse boutique in Brighton. "Wear them, and you will no longer have 'muffin top,' believe me."

“I have a lot of fun with my business,” said Schlesinger. “Although it is a challenge to own and run your own company, I take comfort in the fact that I am able to work in an industry I love while helping women discover how beautiful they are.”

Schlesinger has worked in the fashion industry for 30 years, first as co-owner of Rainbow Lollipop, a high-end children's boutique at Somerset Mall in Troy, and later launching Annie’s Antics, a children’s knitwear company, and Annie M Designs, a women’s line.

Schlesinger runs Skinny Tees with the help of seven part-time employees and her son, David, who grew up in West Bloomfield but now resides in California. He handles Skinny Tees’ marketing and public relations.

“When my mom launched Skinny Tees two years ago, she approached me about developing a company website,” he said.

"Initially, I put up a very quick website, but because we received such incredible feedback from our customers, the company really took off," David Schlesinger said. "I then updated the site to include over 20 styles of bandeaus, tanks and long- and short-sleeve T-shirts that were personally designed by my mother.”

Although it is apparent that Linda Schlesinger’s passion for the world of fashion shines through in her business, she is just as passionate about her philanthropic work with Holocaust survivors.

For the past few years, she has worked with longtime friend and photographer Monni Must to compile and promote Living Witnesses: Faces of the Holocaust, a book of portraits and experiences published in 2009 that captures the stories of Detroit-area Holocaust survivors.

Schlesinger and Must have also been working together to garner portraits of international Holocaust survivors from across the world for inclusion in the sequel, Living Witnesses II: Faces of the Holocaust, scheduled for release next year.

“Working with Linda has been nothing but amazing, and her assistance in fulfilling my goals with these books is tremendous,” said Must, who is based in West Bloomfield.

“Our second book will be used as a teaching tool, with students from across the country being asked to write the bios of the international Holocaust survivors featured," Must said. "I envision it being a wonderful way to share the stories of these survivors in an eloquent way.”

With the help of Schlesinger, Must’s work on these two books inspired her to start the nonprofit organization A Diamond and a Penny, for which she travels throughout the state to photograph memorable experiences of Michigan residents. Must then donates the portraits to the parties involved, which have included such renowned organizations as Beaumont Hospital and The Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“After my father passed away at the age of 57, I attended a Jewish holiday dinner years later and learned about a young woman battling cancer,” Schlesinger said. “Her strength, coupled with my father’s passing, inspired me to live a life of love – with 'giving back' being the focus.

"People surprise me because they become strong in times of great sadness, and Monni sees the world the same way I do. And that’s why I think I enjoy working with her so much," she explained.

“My mom has been passionate about survivors of the Holocaust since I was a little kid," David Schlesinger said. "Her work with photographer Monni Must, to share the stories of so many Detroit-based Holocaust survivors, is an amazingly natural fit.

“Her ongoing work with Living Witnesses: Faces of the Holocaust is more than just a project — it’s a passion,” he said.

To learn more about Skinny Tees or to place an order, visit its website here. Also, to read more about Schlesinger and Must's ongoing project with Holocaust survivors, visit Living Witnesses: Faces of the Holocaust. 

Brighton Patch local editor Wensdy Von Buskirk contributed to this report.