Trishala Bhansali, the creative force behind the clothing and lifestyle boutique Lekha on Magazine Street, wanted to do more than merely design clothes when she launched the brand in 2018. After over a decade in New York attending Parsons School of Design, getting an MBA and working in fashion retail, Bhansali felt the pull of home. “I really wanted to move back to New Orleans,” she admits, “I saw that there was this great entrepreneurial rise in the city.” The time was right for Bhansali to put her own stamp on something homegrown.
A New Orleans native and daughter of Indian immigrants (her father a cardiologist and mother a politician in India), the designer spent summers traversing India visiting family and soaking in the vibrant cultures of Mumbai and Delhi. Bhansali’s move from New York back to New Orleans was followed by months of researching and meeting people in India and conceiving clothing that blends the vibrant aesthetics of India, ethical practices and female empowerment Bhansali experienced during summer visits, with the laid-back elegance of New Orleans. Lekha fast became a sartorial love letter to her maternal grandmother, the namesake of her brand, Bhansali describes as a “political force” who helped found the largest political party in India, and embodied strength and charisma.
“You have the strength and ability to lead and be this powerhouse,” says Bhansali about her grandmother, who was born Lekha Divyeshwari Devi but later, when she married the last maharaja of Gwalior, changed her name to Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia. “But then you also have this other side of the feminine that is tender and gentle and warm.”
From the beginning, Bhansali has collaborated with women’s artisan groups and nonprofits in India, including the Nabha Foundation, the Kala Swaraj Foundation and the Saheli Women’s Group. As Lekha grows and evolves to now include the Lower Garden District retail shop and studio which opened in the summer of 2023, Bhansali continues to work with the latter two groups, helping to empower women in rural villages, “creating financial independence” and “breaking the societal norms.” This commitment to fair labor practices and sustainable production is woven into the fabric of Lekha. Her design style has also evolved, as Bhansali explores the vibrant color palette of New Orleans and finds inspiration in travel, art and nature.
“I used to design two collections and they were both riffs off the same thing,” says Bhansali, whose designs celebrate hand loomed linen, muslin and silk and reflect her own personal style, while at the same time remaining accessible to women of all ages. “But now as I’ve tried to make it a more holistic brand, I’ve incorporated more things you could wear to black tie or a Christmas party.”
With exciting partnerships on the horizon, including collaborations with Dear Valentine (design forward vacation rental properties), and Hotel St. Vincent, Bhansali is not only designing clothes, but is also weaving the story of her own heritage into the culturally rich fabric of New Orleans.
