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Beyond Design.Built for Business. Strategised for Growth.

Transforming fashion vision into profitable, scalable businesses.
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  • NIFT alumna
  • 25+ years in fashion
  • Export-house founder
  • 100+ founders mentored
Leena Bansal, fashion brand growth strategist

Fashion Brand Expansion Strategist · Retail & B2B Collaborator · Fashion Incubator Facilitator

Juries · Workshop · Mentorship

Lakmé Fashion Week FDCI Heriot-Watt University Khaleej Times Dubai Fashion Incubator

Brands I have worked with

  • Taali.ae Taali.ae
  • Shahin Mannan
  • Kashesh Global
  • Kaiane Designs
  • Dur Doux
  • Vuliwear Vuliwear
  • Nupur Kanoi
  • House of Sheriff
  • Vedangi Agarwal
Leena Bansal, fashion brand growth strategist

Hi there, I’m Leena Bansal

Fashion Growth Strategist · Founder, Indibala & Leena Listens

What if your dream fashion brand could scale globally, without losing its soul?

That’s the question that drives my work every day.

I’ve supported 100+ brands across Europe, the Middle East and Asia — helping them refine their story, strengthen their retail presence and scale sustainably.

A VOGUE Dubai member and former Lakmé Fashion VIP Guide, I’ve taken brands from their first collection to over $100,000 in revenue — connecting strategy with creativity and authenticity.

With 25+ years in fashion — trained at NIFT and the Milano Business Institute, creating patterns for Sabyasachi and running my own export house, Indibala — I read a brand the way a designer, a buyer and a CEO would, all at once.

I’ve worked closely with HNI clients and luxury labels, helping them transition from creative vision to a commercially sound, culturally coherent business built for longevity.

And unlike most consultants, I don’t hand over a deck and disappear — I build the strategic framework that turns creativity into retail expansion and cross-border growth.

My passion and vision is to guide emerging founders towards clarity, growth and confidence.

I believe meaningful business growth rarely comes from one big breakthrough. It begins with asking the right questions — about your brand, your customer, your market and the problem you are truly solving.

Over the years, I have seen that the strongest fashion brands are not built on creativity alone. They are built on clarity, purpose, a deep understanding of their customers and the ability to translate creative vision into a commercially viable business.

Through years of working with designers and fashion entrepreneurs, I have gathered the questions, insights and practical tools that help founders see their businesses differently, recognise opportunities and make better decisions.

And this is where the journey began.

Read my story
Leena Bansal, fashion brand growth strategist, in an ivory coat

The journey so far

  1. 1992

    A postgraduate at NIFT

    New Delhi, India

    A postgraduate in Fashion Design from NIFT, India (graduated with distinction), with a professional certification in business management from the Milano Business Institute — where I fell in love with how a garment becomes a business.

  2. 2000

    Designing for Sabyasachi

    India

    Created patterns for Sabyasachi’s contemporary prêt line for close to a decade — working deep into paisley artwork and zardozi, the craft that turns a garment into a story.

  3. 2006

    Founded Indibala Collections

    New Delhi → global

    Built my own women’s-wear buying and export house — design and sourcing to full-scale, sustainable production for Scandinavian designers — exhibiting regularly at CIFF, the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, to reach European buyers.

  4. 2016

    Launched Leena Listens in Dubai

    Dubai, UAE

    Moved into advisory as a fashion growth consultant and retail advisor — helping fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands scale by turning creativity into entrepreneurial skill.

  5. 2022

    Guest Faculty at Heriot-Watt University

    Dubai, UAE

    Guest faculty on Heriot-Watt University’s entrepreneurship and incubator programme in Dubai — sharing industry knowledge and guiding budding fashion students from their first idea to a market-ready business.

  6. 2023

    Dubai Fashion Business Summit

    Connected fashion entrepreneurs — sharing insight and building opportunities at the Dubai Fashion Business Summit.

  7. 2025

    Curated RUNWAVE Dubai

    The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC

    Brought sustainable and contemporary labels onto one stage — a showcase of conscious luxury and global craft, built for B2C and B2B expansion.

  8. 2026

    Fashion Incubator Bootcamp

    My group bootcamp for fashion founders — turning ideas and stalled labels into market-ready brands, together: positioning, pricing, production and route to market, with hands-on mentoring throughout.

  9. Today

    Fashion Brand Growth Strategist | Mentor & Retail Advisor

    Dubai · worldwide

    My work today goes beyond mentoring and consulting fashion founders on brand growth and expansion. As a guest faculty member across institutes in Dubai and India, I also curate industry-focused bootcamps, masterclasses, workshops and fashion summits.

    My vision is to connect knowledge, strategy and the right people to help fashion businesses grow.
Leena Bansal in a brand-strategy session with fashion founders

Where fashion brands get stuck

  • Beautiful collections that never reach the customers who would actually buy.
  • Blending into a crowded market instead of standing strong.
  • Prices set on instinct, not profit-driven.
  • Loyal-looking customers who buy once but never seen again.
  • A team and operations that can’t keep pace with your ambition.
Book a strategy call

How I work

Great design gets a brand noticed — the business behind it is what makes it last. My work with founders moves through three stages.

  1. Clarity

    Know your customer, niche, market and competitive advantage.

  2. Commerciality

    Get the product, pricing, margins and sales right.

  3. Scalability

    Build the right sales channels, retail relationships and growth roadmap.

What we work on together

  • Strategic vision & execution

    A clear, simplified action plan with a revenue roadmap, defined milestones and hands-on support to hit them.

  • Customer acquisition & retention

    Attracting the right customers and turning them into loyal, high-value clients.

  • Market expansion

    Growing in your home market, then entering the ones that matter most.

  • Distribution & channels

    Efficient retail, B2B and online channels built to protect your margins.

  • Media & PR strategy

    Press coverage and PR campaigns that elevate how your brand is seen.

Leena Bansal

What my clients say

Dionne Ellison
“Working with Leena has been an absolute pleasure. Her deep understanding of the fashion industry reflects in every recommendation she makes. She’s not just a strategist, but a true partner — genuinely invested in the brand’s growth. At Vuliwear, we’ve greatly benefited from her insights into market trends, consumer behaviour and scalable growth strategies. What truly stands out is her constant support and availability — she makes the entire journey feel collaborative, seamless and empowering. Highly recommend working with her!”

Dionne Ellison

Founder & CEO, Vuliwear (luxury eyewear) · Dubai

Kayane Mahrejian
“Working with Leena Bansal has been truly transformational. Her clarity, strategic thinking and deep understanding of market trends make her an exceptional advisor. She simplifies complex challenges into actionable strategies and consistently drives meaningful growth. Beyond business, she empowers you to think bigger and push past limitations. Highly recommend her to anyone looking for a strong strategic partner.”

Kayane Mahrejian

Founder, Kaiane Designs

Anicy Manuguian
“Working with Leena has been truly transformative for our brand. As a handmade, sustainable crochet couture label from Chile, entering the Middle Eastern market felt challenging — but her strategic vision made it seamless and impactful. From prestigious showcases to exclusive collaborations, she created opportunities that elevated our brand presence and drove strong sales. What sets her apart is her ability to turn visibility into meaningful connections and real growth. We’re incredibly grateful and highly recommend her to any brand looking to expand with purpose and impact.”

Anicy Manuguian

Crochet couture · Chile

Kavit Mehta
“Working with Leena Bansal has been a turning point for our brand. From refining our product strategy and design direction to driving a complete brand transformation backed by market insights — her impact was immediate. Beyond strategy, she strengthened our business by building the right partnerships, connecting us with aligned distributors and supporting key negotiations. Leena brings the perfect blend of market intelligence, execution and industry connections. Highly recommend her as a strategic partner.”

Kavit Mehta

Founder & CEO, Tezhhomayaa

Karim Maalouf
“A complete transformation — both creatively and commercially. Leena didn’t just refine our brand, she restructured our product strategy, strengthened partnerships and delivered measurable business impact. Her ability to combine vision with execution is what truly sets her apart.”

Karim Maalouf

Fashion brand founder · Dubai

Runjhun Gupta
“Working with Leena has been a game-changer for Keva Clothing. Her guidance helped us successfully expand into Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with the right mix of retail, pop-ups and B2B opportunities. She brought strong clarity to our collections, pricing and fabric strategy — making us market-ready for the Middle East. Grateful for her insight and support throughout this journey.”

Runjhun Gupta

Founder, Keva Clothing · Jaipur, India
See all client stories

Questions founders ask

A few things brands usually want to know before we start.

See all FAQs

Ready to scale your fashion brand?

This is more than a consultation — it’s a focused, strategic working session backed by 25+ years of hands-on fashion industry experience, including building and growing my own fashion business. Together, we’ll identify what your brand needs to move forward sustainably.

What your strategy call covers

  • A clear-eyed brand assessment — what’s working, what’s stuck, and why.
  • A growth roadmap — strategic pillars, milestones and the resources to reach them.
  • Your next right moves — positioning, pricing and market access, tailored to your stage.
  • 60 days of follow-through — real implementation support and accountability, not just advice.
Leena Bansal leading a fashion-business workshop

Ideal if you…

  • Have products ready but aren’t sure how to reach the right market
  • Have quality products but keep hitting a ceiling on growth
  • Are ready to put real strategic change into action
  • Value expert guidance and a hands-on, collaborative partner
  • Want to lead your category, not just compete in it

Not the right fit if you…

  • Aren’t generating any revenue from your brand yet
  • Want a quick fix without doing the work
  • Aren’t ready to invest time or resources in growth
  • Would rather stay completely hands-off
Book a strategy call