Leading Legacies: A Women In Business Event

Where We Came From

Fleurty Girl was born out of a vision of New Orleans-native, Lauren LeBlanc Haydel. In 2009, this single mother of three put everything she had into printing t-shirts for women that celebrated New Orleans. Just six months after launching her online store, she opened her first retail store on historic Oak Street and moved herself and her family in the back of the old shotgun house. “We all crammed in the back of that house in order to see if this would work. We went from 2,000 square feet to just under 1,000. My kids went from each having their own rooms to having to all share one room together. People said I was crazy, but I believed in this.”

Today, Lauren now has nine Fleurty Girl retail stores and has gotten her kids back to having their own rooms again. In fact, they’re all in college now. “I’m glad I was able to show them what it takes to believe in something, make sacrifices and succeed, and to do it all in the most amazing city in the world.”

Fleurty Girl has over 70 employees and has become one of the most beloved brands in the city of New Orleans. “People put us up there with stopping at Cafe du Monde for beignets,” adds Lauren, “this was never a part of the plan but I am so glad people embraced and enjoy what we’ve built.” 

Who We Are

Lauren and her staff share a love of New Orleans and a lust for life. All of the items that Fleurty Girl carries are inspired by New Orleans. Many items are inspired by the city and made by local New Orleanians while also offering a large selection of nationally-loved brands.