Leaders

Eco-Friendly is a new trend – a trend that is the need of the hour. Swati Bhaskar is striving to make this trend reach worldwide through sustainable businesses. She is making it all possible through Melvin Jones Fashions a leading brand in the sustainable fashion industry.

Before Melvin Jones, Swati received several awards and recognitions for her outstanding work in the field of organizational behavior and human resource management. She was named the Best Employee at Morningstar and her Management Report focusing on organizational behavior earned her third place in a competition. During her internship at British Telecom, Scotland, she implemented a dashboard on human capital, which received praise for its effectiveness.

Join Women Entrepreneur Magazine, as we delve into her wise words.

What do you consider as the most important aspect of your professional life?

As I reflect on my professional journey, I'm proud of being part of the founding team at Melvin Jones, a clothing apparel brand that holds a special place in my heart for a multitude of reasons. Perhaps the most significant aspect of my journey has been witnessing the evolution of this brand and its inspiring story of perseverance and innovation. Despite the daunting challenge of breaking into a fiercely competitive industry with over 17,000 existing brands, we ensured to deliver what people have never seen and experienced before, our commitment to unparalleled quality and customer experience testifies to it all.

At Melvin Jones, we're more than just a business; we're a community that strives to make a positive impact on the world. Our commitment to environmental causes is reflected in our pledge to donate 10 percent of every sale to charity. It brings me immense pride and honor to be a part of this exceptional brand, not just for my association with it, but because of the compelling reasons.

Take us through the prior industry experience that you bring to the table. How has your prior experience enabled you to become a better business leader today?

The crux of what one brings to the table after years of experience is not the previous roles and designations rather it is the honed-skills and the evolved decision-making that comes along with the grit and determination to sail through. The enterprise carries a holistic experience of more than two decades in the apparel manufacturing business. We have in the past run export of apparel for all the well-known brands from GAP, Old Navy, Michael Kors, and Armani Exchange to name a few. There was always a desire to come up with our own brand which can have all the finest things in terms of quality, craftsmanship, and style. I am additionally a co-founder of the upcoming brand SWAAIKA and the label SWAASHD.

“Provide the future generation with a legacy of fashion & lifestyle options that put their needs & the needs of our planet at an equilibrium”

How has Melvin Jones Fashions’ growth journey been so far? Throw some light on the key focus areas in terms of driving growth for the brand.

The journey of Melvin Jones Fashions so far has been an exciting one, focused on creating awareness and driving change in the fashion industry. At the core of our mission is a desire to counter the harmful effects of man-made fabrics, particularly those that are non-biodegradable and contribute to the buildup of landfills.

Currently, Melvin Jones is in the awareness phase by creating a buzz with our powerful designs, and historical fabrics that have gone a complete makeover in the last 100 years. In reality, 60.53 million metric tons of Polyester was produced in 2021 and it is a big contribution to landfills as only 15 percent of it can get recycled and the remaining 85 percent of non-biodegradable residues are just a dump on our planet. These fabrics and their residues can take more than a hundred years to decompose. The key focus is to stir the consumer’s thought process of buying apparel. The first and foremost step is to give them choices that are planet-positive, eco-conscious, sustainable, and use natural fabrics that decompose and minimize the harmful impact on our planet. This will help us to provide the future generation with a legacy of fashion and lifestyle options that put their needs and the needs of our planet at an equilibrium of win-win for both the stakeholders.

Share some milestones you have achieved throughout your professional journey.

We have successfully created a line of highly fashionable clothing that not only matches the retail prices of non-sustainable brands but also offers phenomenal quality to encourage consumers to make the switch. Secondly, in a short period, we have designed and launched over 200 pieces across various categories, and we continue to expand our line based on consumer demand. Lastly, we have introduced natural fabrics like sugarcane, milk, and soya fabric, along with commonly known sustainable fabrics like bamboo, hemp, and jute, all with unique selling propositions of style and affordability. We take great pride in being a planet-positive brand and contributing 10 percent of every sale towards environmental causes. Our mantra for success has always been to stay true to our values and create a brand that offers eco-conscious consumers fashionable and sustainable choices without compromising on quality and style.

What advice/message would you give to aspiring women leaders and entrepreneurs?

A strong piece of advice from my side is to gear up, hone your skills, and be aggressive and emotional only for your products, work, and concepts rest all will fall in place. Step back once in a while to break from it, you will come back with double the ardour and efficiency to make a huge difference. Do not look for approvals and affirmations when you know what is best, just follow your instinct.

Swati Bhaskar, Director & Founding Member, Melvin Jones Fashions

Holds a Bachelor's degree in English (Honours) from Delhi University, a Post Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management from XLRI, and an M.Sc in Human Resource Management from Strathclyde Business School, United Kingdom.