PARTNER, LAFORCE + STEVENS
By content editorial director photographer
When she was in college, Leslie Stevens studied Politics at Princeton and wanted to be an attorney. Instead, she became one of the most prominent names in public relations. “It was a fluke that I got a job with Estée Lauder,” said Leslie. After four years with Lauder, Leslie moved to a larger public relations firm and then another, gathering experience as she went, working with some of the biggest brands in the world.
“WHAT SCARES ME IS THAT TIME IS PASSING ME BY. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I WANT TO DO.”
“At one point, I had a boyfriend who said, ‘You should be on your own.’ I didn’t know if I could do it, but he said, ‘Of course you can!’ That was nearly 20 years ago.”
Today Leslie and her partner, James LaForce, and their team, provide innovative strategies for top brands like Target, LinkedIn, Veuve Clicquot, Banana Republic, 3M, Omega, Perry Ellis, Swarovski and AT&T, among others. “I get to work with fantastic clients. It’s exciting and dynamic, and I have an amazing team. I am so lucky!” said Leslie.
“I love to go out and get business and come up with ideas. I enjoy working with, and pitching, the media. I’m now involved with social media strategies, which is a whole brave new world. We do Target’s fashion and beauty business. It’s a lot of the fashion collaborations, the popup stores, a lot of the beauty brands they have. We spearhead the strategy for all of the fashion and beauty initiatives. Target’s such a smart marketer.”
Leslie and her team at LaForce + Stevens launched Kerry Washington’s collaboration with The Limited. “We talked to Kerry and ABC every week, and we spearheaded the PR, all the social strategies around the launch. Kerry helped design the collection, à la Olivia Pope.
When she can, Leslie carves out time in her relentless schedule to travel. “I’m determined to visit every single destination in 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. I went fly fishing in Russia; visited Syria right before they closed it to tourists; hiked Bhutan and Patagonia and skied off a cliff in Chili. Still trying to figure out what the next trip’s going to be. I went to Myanmar last year. I was in Angkor Wat 30 years ago when Pol Pot was still alive. There was one hotel where literally 20 people could stay, and we had two bodyguards. There were no tourists then. No one was there. Everyone says if you go back you’ll be shocked at how much it’s changed. It’s spectacular.”
Leslie Stevens is daring, enthusiastic and successful, but more importantly, she knows how lucky she is.
I hate to lose. I don’t ever give up.
with Leslie
MOST IMPORTANT SURVIVAL SKILL
Being positive, optimistic, honest and relentless. My motto is never give up. I acquired it from my amazing parents who are always upbeat and positive and look on the bright side of things.
ON SUNDAYS I LIKE TO
Read the New York Times, go to church, walk on the beach, exercise, go to the theater, and see friends. It’s hard to do that all in the same day, but I’ve actually been out at the beach, saw some friends and went back into the city to the theater.
MEDIA PUSHES SEXY
I’ve never been a fan of sexy. I think the less you share the better. I don’t think it serves girls or women, in anyway, to flaunt their sexuality.
WHAT EMPOWERS YOU
Curiosity, loving what I do and my competitive spirit. I hate to lose. I don’t ever give up, and I say that to all my employees.
THROWS YOU OFF YOUR GAME
Unexpected events, but I try to roll with the punches and look at everything as a fun roller coaster.
VALUE MORE NOW THAN 20 YEARS AGO
My family, my friends and my spiritual life. Love and time. I have fantastic people in my life, and I appreciate everything they’ve done for me. I value kindness. Kindness is a great virtue for all people to have.
ASPIRE TO
I want to keep moving the business, and I want to write a book or a play. I’m a theater junkie, and I have some ideas on that. I want to meet the man of my dreams, and I want to travel and give back in a more meaningful way.
WHAT’S NOT WORTH IT ANYMORE
Drama, confrontation, endless meetings and Facebook.
WHAT SCARES YOU
My closet! What scares me is that time is passing me by. There are so many things I want to do, and I can’t believe where the time goes. It’s just mind boggling.
MOST TREASURED POSSESSION
It’s all those personal things I have in my home from travels or times with my family. There’s a portrait of my dog I love so much.
ROLE MODELS
My grandmother and my mother because they have amazing style and lots of charisma. Oprah because she started from nothing and built an empire and inspired so many people. I think Jane Fonda is just a force and incredible. She’s done so many remarkable things.
WHAT ARE YOU READING
I am a news junkie. I love to read the Financial Times, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal. I just soak up news. On the flip side, I read spirituality books like Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson and leadership books.
GUILTY PLEASURE
Sant Ambroeus makes the most unbelievable pistachio gelato. It is so decadent.
STYLE NOW VERSUS 20 YEARS AGO
I think we were all more dressed up then. I probably had those big, Donna Karan, shoulder pad, power suits, I’ve kept the same black, beige, navy, cream kind of look. I’m definitely a minimalist.
FLATS OR HEELS
A little bit of both. I need to get around the city, so it’s flats, but I’m wearing high heels most of the time.
FAVORITE DESIGNERS
Derek Lam, Olivier Theyskens, who was at Nina Ricci for a longtime. Céline, Phoebe Philo, when she was at Chloé, and now she’s at Céline. Unbelievable! The Row is incredible. Valentino is doing a fantastic job.
MISSING FROM YOUR CLOSET
Probably color.
WORSE THING YOU EVER BOUGHT
I bought a lot of bad evening dresses. Strapless was the worst.
MOST COMFORTABLE IN
I change. Right now I like a blouse and sort of a gaucho, harem pants that are short with a high heel and a clean blazer. I like to show some leg. I like a really good blazer. A good blazer is the key to unifying a full look.
FAVORITE INDULGENCE
Watching Scandal, Revenge. I love getting massages.
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT BEAUTY PRODUCT
Restorsea, a skincare cream. Patti Poe, looked at the guys at a salmon hatchery. Their faces looked like they were 60, but their hands looked like they were 20. She found a way to get the enzyme out of the water and put it into a skincare product.
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