Atlanta native Meghna Davé brings Indian-inspired clothing and textiles to Maelu in Grant Park

Photography courtesy of Meghna Davé

Like many, Meghna Davé left Atlanta after school for the lights of New York. She grew up in an Indian family in Dacula, where textiles were the family business: her mother created high-end costumes for local dance groups. “I didn’t want to continue in the family business or in entrepreneurship,” she says. “I wanted to work in an American company in New York. It was my dream.

After two years in New York, she realized that life as a forensic litigation consultant wasn’t necessarily for her either. She quit and traveled around Asia, starting to think about becoming an entrepreneur. To his surprise, his business ideas revolved around textiles, but with one key difference. “I realized that my business didn’t have to be exactly like my parents’, but rather a combination based on my heritage and how I grew up American,” she says.

But what that matter would be, she didn’t really know. During his sabbatical, Davé enrolled in a sewing school in Thailand, then went to India to research natural dyes. Her only goal was to learn new skills and meet artisans. In India, she met a local family who printed traditional fabrics and began experimenting with the possibilities of their fabrics. A year later, with the help of her parents, she began having professional conversations about making her clothing line a reality.

Now in its 12th year of business, Maelu is the marriage of Davé’s Indian heritage and American spirit. In collaboration with three Indian printers specializing in different techniques, it combines the traditional and the modern. She focuses on natural fibers, sustainable practices and well-made pieces. She works with an NGO in India for sampling and manufacturing that provides resources to women who have suffered domestic violence, teaching them sewing skills and providing them with the support they need to work with the organization or start their own micro-enterprise.

Maelu comes from the Thai expression mai ru, which loosely translates to “I don’t know,” which fits perfectly with Davé’s philosophy of figuring things out as you go. “The nature of the unknown attracted me,” she says. “I didn’t want to give a vision. It was more about taking one step at a time.

She started her business in Atlanta, but after meeting her husband, they moved to Portland. Her line of dresses, pants, tops, pillows and more has become an avenue for the community since returning to Atlanta in 2022, following the birth of her son. She opened her retail space in Grant Park in September 2023. Although she wasn’t actively looking for a physical store, she was, once again, open to unknown possibilities. It more than worked. “I’m five minutes from home,” she said. “I take my son to the park across the street.”

She loves having a physical space to help customers and amplify local brands. Currently, this includes a section dedicated to specialty foods such as Spicewalla spices and Portrait Coffee, as well as a children’s section offering small runs of toddler and baby clothing in Maelu prints, as well as toys and accessories. There’s jewelry from Grant Park-based Connie n’ Jack and Decatur-based Fossil & Hide, and fragrances from Sandy Springs’ Eidecker Studio. She plans more events this year, continuing to build the community that has supported her so passionately. “We are a lifestyle store. We create a story, a sensation. We want this space to be welcoming for everyone,” explains Davé.

This article appears in our June 2024 issue.

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