For more than a decade, Lauren LeBlanc Haydel has been adding a little flare to people’s lives, outfits and overall celebration of all things New Orleans. Haydel took a leap of faith when opening the first Fleurty Girl boutique on Oak Street in 2009. The company has now grown to nine different locations — including inside the Louis Armstrong International Airport and in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi — with more than 70 employees. She also recently announced an upgrade for the Lakeside location in 2027. From t-shirts, accessories, social media and even an Airbnb, there’s nothing stopping the Fleurty Girl brand.
What is the best part about being (and owning) Fleurty Girl?
The best part is the people, it’s always been about the people. I’ve watched people’s eyes light up visiting a store, seeing people see friends in the shop and reconnect, I’ve watched little girls grow up and bring their own babies in for their first Fleurty Girl shirt. It’s the people and the moments. That’s the best part. Seeing how special Fleurty Girl is to people, and I honestly can’t believe it started at my kitchen table. Literally started from the bottom now we’re here.
When you first opened, did you ever dream your brand and your life would become what it is today?
Not in a million years! I was just hoping people would just buy a shirt. I didn’t have a master plan, just a love for New Orleans, my hometown and an idea. The growth has been beyond anything I ever imagined, but what I’m most proud of isn’t the number of stores, it’s that we still stay true to who we are. We’re still local. We’re still humble. We’re still heart-first.
Why is it important to you highlight local artists and makers?
Fleurty Girl exists because of New Orleans and our talented makers. So many are working from home, working in tiny studios, or couples building something together. When we give them space on a shelf, we’re not just selling a product, we’re supporting their dream. Keeping dollars local keeps our culture alive. And culture is everything in New Orleans.
Fleutry Girl’s social media has gained a lot of traction lately. Did you think “social media star” was going to be on your resume, too?
I say that all the time, actually, it was not part of my resume, ha-ha. I just started sharing what we are doing, from day one, I posted pictures of t-shirts taking over my kitchen back in 2009. People always connected with the realness. Social media has been an unexpected byproduct of the brand. It lets me invite people behind the curtain and show them that small business isn’t perfect or polished, it’s personal.
What are some of your favorite items in the stores?
My favorite shirt I ever made was after the Who Dat phrase legal battle ended, and we couldn’t print “Who Dat” anymore, so I printed “Who Dat” backwards on a shirt so it said “TAD OHW” and when you took a selfie it said “WHO DAT.” I was only able to print it once (lawyers advised that I not continue to print those). But it was my favorite Fleurty Girl shirt of all time. Ultimately, I love anything that makes people laugh out loud. If it sparks joy or pride in where we’re from, it’s a winner.
How do you choose items for your stores?
I’m looking for a feeling. Would I wear it? Would I want to gift it to my best friend? Would my customers text their friends about it? When it comes to local makers, I truly care about the people behind it. Their story matters just as much to me as their product. It’s a process and it’s so many layers. But I know immediately if it’s a fit or not.
If you weren’t Fleurty Girl and could do any other job in the world, what would you do?
I think I’d still be building something. Maybe running some wildly creative hospitality concept. I love New Orleans and I love sharing how special it is with others. The path I chose lets me do that through merchandise, so I would probably still be doing some other variation of that. I always wanted to be Angela Hill, though! So maybe a WWL-TV news anchor if there was no Fleurty Girl!
What’s next for Fleurty Girl?
I don’t have plans for Fleurty Girl to be bigger, no more stores. I’m tapped out at nine. But I have plans for the brand to be deeper. I want us to continue to be a place that brings people joy, brings our community together and supports local creatives. As long as we can continue to keep doing that for another ten years, I’ll consider that the real success. We are opening a new flagship store in the Lakeside area in Metairie in 2027 and it’s going to highlight and encourage all of those things.
Lagniappe
Favorite Festival?
I have always been a Jazz Fest girl, from back when I had my mom drop me off at the Fairgrounds before I could drive.
Favorite Restaurant?
Currently, I can’t get enough of Origen Bistro in the Bywater.
Favorite Local Celebrity?
Chris Owens. I wish I had gotten the chance to meet her. She did her thing and didn’t care what other people thought. And she did it until the end, too. I think that will be me. I’ll be working the store at 100 and then they’ll be second lining at my funeral the next week.
True Confession
I was a finalist for MTV’s The Real World in New Orleans, but I didn’t make the final cut.
