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If pockets are ever a good reason to cross the Bay Bridge, designer Lesley Evers‘ pockets certainly qualify. The lifelong East Bay resident began making dresses at age 11 and never stopped, even while studying architecture, marrying, having two kids, and tooling around in an original 1977 GMC Palm Beach RV with lima bean green plaid seats and shag carpeting. For decades, her doodles have been not drafts for buildings, but dress designs, and all with pockets.
In 2008, Evers formalized her line, which at the time offered mostly dresses and skirts. Sophisticated silhouettes and original textiles in bright floral or bold graphic prints came in shirtwaist and wrap dresses and pencil and A-line skirts. They were not only flattering, but comfortable and practical. A dress worn in the office made a dignified, in-charge statement—but carried enough panache to be dressed up with accessories for a night on the town.
The company’s brand was soon carried at over 100 boutiques nationwide and as it has grown and evolved, Evers has even opened bricks-and-mortar shops in Oakland from time to time. While a bustling e-commerce platform churns energetically online, the shop’s current flagship location is on College Avenue in the Rockridge district. There is a second shop in Portland, Oregon and coming soon, a location in Palo Alto.
In a 2023 interview, Evers told me she never played with dolls as a girl but rather, recalls shutting herself in a closet to better admire her mother’s DayGlo dress. In designing her fabrics, she is unlikely to look at fashion magazines or the textiles worn by models down today’s runways. Instead, she turns to vintage no-frills prints, nature-inspired black-and-white patterns, and often, bold colors. Her garments have a distinct ’60s feel and now include skorts (don’t miss their marvelous, hideaway cell phone pocket), pants, tunics, blouses, sweaters, bags, scarves, homeware, giftware, jewelry, and more.
Importantly, most items are manufactured in the Bay Area and crafted by skilled local cutters and sewers. Her style names are feminist tributes, or just jolly: Jubilee, Clementine, Harriet, Sasha, Tegan, Ruthie, Hakalaka and more. Evers chooses women and non-binary individuals to model who are everyday professionals, stay-at-home family managers, artists, retired people, close friends, and others. All, presumably, fans of pockets.
LESLEY EVERS store locations and online store info here.
