SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                          WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G.  INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO
  13D-1(B) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO 13D-2(B)

                                SCHEDULE 13G

                 Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                          (Amendment No.          )*
                                         ---------

                                Designs Inc.
                     ----------------------------------
                              (Name of Issuer)

                                Common Stock
                     ----------------------------------
                       (Title of Class of Securities)

                                 25057L10
                     ----------------------------------
                              (CUSIP Number)

   Check the  following box if a fee is being paid with this statement.  (A fee
is  not  required only if the filing person:  (1) has a  previous  statement on
file reporting  beneficial  ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities  described in Item 1;  and (2)  has  filed no  amendment  subsequent
thereto reporting  beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7.)  /X/

   *The remainder of  this cover  page  shall  be  filled  out  for a reporting
person's  initial  filing on this  form with  respect to the  subject  class of
securities,  and for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which
would alter the disclosures provided in a prior page.

   The information  required in the  remainder of this  cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed"  for the purpose of  Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934  ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other  provisions of the Act  (however, see
Notes).

                              CUSIP No. 25057L10
                                        ---------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (1) Names of Reporting Persons.  S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos. of Above
     Persons

              Montgomery Asset Management, L.P. IRS ID #94-3115321
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (2) Check the Appropriate Box if a Member     (a)  / /
     of a Group (See Instructions)             (b)  / /
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (3) SEC Use Only

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (4) Citizenship or Place of Organization
                   California
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Shares              (5) Sole Voting             978,152
 Beneficially                       Power        (as of December 31, 1993).
 Owned by                    --------------------------------------------------
 Each Reporting               (6) Shared Voting              -0-
 Person With                        Power
                             --------------------------------------------------
                              (7) Sole Dispositive        978,152
                                    Power        (as of December 31, 1993).
                             --------------------------------------------------
                              (8) Shared Dispositive         -0-
                                    Power
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (9) Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
                     978,152  (as of December 31, 1993).
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares
     (See Instructions)  / /          Not applicable
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(11) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
                     6.1%  (as of December 31, 1993).
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(12) Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
                     IA
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                          WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                SCHEDULE 13G
                 Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Fee enclosed  / /  or Amendment No.
                                   ---------

ITEM 1(A).  NAME OF ISSUER
                   Designs, Inc.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 1(B).  ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES
   1244 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02167
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 2(A).  NAME OF PERSON(S) FILING
               Montgomery Asset Management, L.P.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 2(B).  ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE, RESIDENCE
               600 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 2(C).  CITIZENSHIP
               California Limited Partnership
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 2(D).  TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES
               Common Stock
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 2(E).  CUSIP NUMBER
               25057L10
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 3.  IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULES 13D-1(B), OR 13D-2(B),
  CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A

    (a) / / Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act

    (b) / / Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act

    (c) / / Insurance Company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act

    (d) / / Investment Company registered under section 8 of the Investment
            Company Act

    (e) /X/ Investment Adviser registered under section 203 of the Investment
            Advisers Act of 1940

    (f) / / Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to the
            provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
            or Endowment Fund; see Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F)

    (g) / / Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(ii)(G)
            (Note: See Item 7)

    (h) / / Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)



ITEM 4.  OWNERSHIP

    (a) Amount Beneficially Owned:
                     978,152  (as of December 31, 1993).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (b) Percent of Class:
                     6.1%  (as of December 31, 1993).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (c) Number of shares as to which such person has:

          (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote
                    978,152  (as of December 31, 1993).
              -----------------------------------------------------------------
         (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote
                    -0-
              -----------------------------------------------------------------
        (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
                    978,152  (as of December 31, 1993).
              -----------------------------------------------------------------
         (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
                    -0-
              -----------------------------------------------------------------

ITEM 5.  OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof
the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five
percent of the class of securities, check the following.  / /


ITEM 6.  OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON
                  Not applicable
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 7.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED
  THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY
                  Not applicable
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 8.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
                  Not applicable
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 9.  NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP
                  Not applicable
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION

    By signing below I certify  that,  to the best of my  knowledge and belief,
the  securities  referred to above  were  acquired in the  ordinary  course  of
business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of
changing or  influencing the  control of the issuer of such securities and were
not acquired in  connection with or as a participant in any  transaction having
such purposes or effect.

                                  SIGNATURE

    After  reasonable  inquiry and to the  best of my  knowledge and  belief, I
certify that the  information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       (Date)

                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       (Signature)

                                                  R. Stephen Doyle
                                         Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
                                           Montgomery Asset Management, L.P.
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       (Name/Title)