Welcome to MODA's Interview Series, where we feature influencers and leaders in the fashion industry in the Chicago area and beyond to discuss their design inspirations, their creative backgrounds and what it means to be a self-starter in the fashion world today.
Bhavana Jain is a Chicago based fashion designer and CEO of her own brand BHAV. Jain specializes in ready-to-wear pieces for women inspired by her South Asian Heritage. With an upcoming launch, Bhavana sat down with MODA Blog to talk entrepreneurship, design, identity and small business management in the wake of Covid-19. For more information, head over to Bhavana’s website.
Hi Bhavana, thank you for joining MODA Blog for an interview, we’re so excited to hear from you; for those of us who might not be as familiar with you and your brand, BHAV. Could you give us a brief rundown of your brand’s history? How you got your start? Why you wanted to start this business? What steps you took to achieve it?
To introduce myself, my name is Bhavana Jain, CEO and lead designer of BHAV. I’m a clinical pharmacist by profession and am still currently working part time at a local hospital outside of Chicago. I come from a family of healthcare workers, so it was natural that I too wanted to follow in the footsteps of my father who is a physician. Growing up in a South Asian family, it was stressed upon us to choose a career path that was a stable profession. On the flipside however, I had a love of art and design growing up and this passion was always a part of me. I loved drawing, crafts, painting and anything related to art. When it came to choosing a career, I entered into college majoring in biology. I was eventually admitted into pharmacy school and after graduating the program, I was all set to start my career. It wasn’t until a few years into my pharmacy career that I felt like something was missing in life. I was looking for a creative outlet, something that was always with me as a child. I decided to enroll in the fashion design program at a local college. I started out as exploring it as a hobby and didn’t really know at that time if it would turn into something more. As I continued on into the program, I found myself fascinated in learning about the fundamentals of fashion design. I started to realize that my skills were becoming stronger and a few years into the program I decided to prepare my launch of my own womenswear line.
During the time of putting the pieces together for my business, I had to learn so much of what it takes to start a business from scratch. Everything from sourcing fabrics to dealing with manufacturers and everything in between was all new to me. There were many times that I felt lost, or hit a dead end only because I knew nothing about the industry. Even though it was tough, I still continued to do research and learn as much as I could. I eventually found a mentor who had been in the fashion industry for some time and now was mentoring women who wanted to start a career in fashion. That’s when a lot of doors opened up for me and I was able to learn so much from someone I trusted.
It was finally in March 2018 (three years after I started the process of putting my business together) that I launched my debut line of BhavyJ Designs. I released two lines under that label and the design aesthetic was versatile and transitional work wear. Last year when it came time to deciding what changes I wanted to make to the brand I decided that I wanted to incorporate more of my South Asian heritage into my design aesthetic. I felt this would represent more of my identity in the designs. I had also not seen to many South Asian designers creating fusion like pieces (incorporating south Asian elements with western silhouettes) that would appeal to all women and not just South Asian women. It was at that time that I started doing research on South Asian heritage fabrics to incorporate into my look. I eventually choose to use specifically Ikat cottons which incorporates an ancient dying technique and silk blends for the new collection. In making these changes to the brand, I also decided to change the name of the brand to BHAV which will debut the first collection under this label in June.
I think what stood out to me when we started our conversation over email was your focus on bringing elements of your South Asian heritage into your line; In textile, and in technique. Where did that idea come from and in what ways are you realizing that idea?
Looking back from the very beginning of the conceptualization of my business, I always wanted to incorporate my Indian heritage into my design aesthetic. At the time, I wanted to incorporate embroidery and beadwork in a muted way but have it still be functional in work wear. I thought the idea was great, but after doing an initial survey and speaking with many product development companies, I was slowly realizing that what I had originally envisioned would logistically be difficult because of costs. Another problem was I was not getting the interest I was hoping for by my target customer. In analyzing the data, I had to modify what my idea of bringing in South Asian elements into my designs meant. It had to be in a way that was approachable to all women here in the US and that they would be comfortable wearing it and not feel to “ethnic.” We successfully created two lines under the previous label, BhavyJ Designs, that had subtle hints of South Asian influence. These elements were bright colors, different type of embroidery, and floral motifs which are common in Indian culture. With our new label, BHAV, we have changed the design aesthetic to highlight the South Asian influence even more. We are specifically sourcing our fabrics from India that local craftsmen are weaving and dying. Our silks are sourced from India as well and are custom dyed and screen printed on with unique patterns that I have created. All these details give it a more authentic and unique factor to it. Using these fabrics with western silhouettes (dresses, tops and pants) and combining them with other easy to wear fabrics can transform the look of a garment into one that’s elevated. Many of the pieces are transitional and can be dressed up or down depending on how you choose to style them.
I’m also very inspired by this idea that you write on your site: “We see heritage as a piece of us - not the sole thing that defines us”. Do you think that part of your brand is this idea of mixing heritage and a multicultural identity? And if so, in what ways do you try to represent that mix through your garments?
I think that heritage and a multi-cultural identity go hand in hand. Heritage or your ethnic background makes up ones’ identity but definitely does not define us solely as who we are. My parents are immigrants from India, and therefore I was exposed to the rich traditions and life of Indian culture. But growing up in the states, I also had a taste of American culture. Growing up first generation Indian American was difficult at times because I was trying to figure out what my true identity was. Was a hybrid? Was it bad if I was to “Indian”? Would my family think I was to “American?” It took me a while to figure out what was the balance that I was most comfortable with. When it came time to expressing my identity into my designs, that also took some time in figuring out how I wanted to execute that. With the brand ‘BHAV’ I use a mix of South Asian heritage fabrics, primarily cottons and silks and fuse them with western silhouettes (tops, pants, and dresses). This was the best balance for me to represent my Indian culture and fuse it in American fashion that still is a part of my life.
“ I think the beauty of showcasing these amazing stories shows how a lot of women have power to embrace their heritage in the way they choose to”
Navigating your site, I couldn’t help but notice that alongside your garments, you feature a site blog. As a blog ourselves, we love seeing creators use their platform to share ideas and we love that your blog is mainly devoted to sharing stories of women who are navigating careers, families, identities and style. I’m curious as to why you wanted to include this as part of your brand?
One of our core messages for BHAV is “embracing your heritage in the ways you choose to.” Personally, for me that’s reflected in the designs where I fuse my South Asian heritage with American fashion. In creating the blog series, ‘The Culture Connection’ we want to highlight other women who come from ethnic backgrounds and have them share their stories on how heritage has a played a role in their lives. For some, they have embraced many facets of their heritage and have passed on these values and ideas to their own children. Others, have embraced their heritage and used elements of it in their respective careers. Some, have embraced other cultures and incorporated it into their lives because of being in a multi-cultural marriage. I think the beauty of showcasing these amazing stories shows how a lot of women have power to embrace their heritage in the way they choose to. We are proud to provide this platform for women to share a piece of themselves with everyone and hopefully inspire others.
Much of our audience is composed of students, and I’m sure many of us (self included) are trying to find ways to forge career paths that combine or include our interests and dreams; I’m curious to hear about what advice you could give to us regarding entrepreneurship, authenticity to ourselves and personal expression & creativity in crafting career paths?
I truly believe it’s a wonderful time to be a student right now in the age of technology and entrepreneurship. We live in a world where you can turn any idea into a business, or an organization. The age of social media has allowed us to see so many possibilities and connect with countless number of people in the same space. With all that being said, it can be a daunting and overwhelming situation. I think there are certain things that one should consider before entering into a career in entrepreneurship. First, it’s important to not overlook the financial aspect of starting a business. It is crucial to have some sort of business plan in place. It doesn’t have to be sophisticated but it should address what your estimated startup costs will be and where those funds will come from. Without a realistic approach to starting a business, you may run into problems later. Secondly, you should go into entrepreneurship knowing how to embrace failure instead of looking at it as a negative thing. Go into it knowing that you will fail many times and it’s ok. It may sound a little harsh, but if you don’t learn from the challenges you won’t grow as a person or a brand.
Overall, it is always important to be true and authentic to yourself in no matter what you do in life. I truly believe we all have different paths in life and we may start out with one thing and end up doing something else we never even imagined. But I think that stems back to the many experiences in life we will go through and relationships we cultivate along the way. Personally, for me, I always had a true gift in art but also had a desire to help others through a career in healthcare. But as time went on, as I was working in Pharmacy, I on my own realized what my true calling was, and that was expressing a part of me through the art of fashion design. I think it’s important to not ignore what your true passion is in life. I believe that you will always be successful in the things that you are truly good at because you don’t look at it as a job, but something that brings happiness. Those are the people who truly succeed because they are doing what they love whole heartedly. I encourage students or anyone no matter what age, to always strive for your dreams. If it can’t happen now, then always have hope it can happen one day if you try and put effort into it.
I can only imagine how Covid-19 is affecting small businesses like BHAV; how have you been dealing with COVID-19, and what do you think we can learn from this pandemic and what adaptations do you think we’ll be making to our lives when quarantine ends?
I don’t think anyone in our generation has ever experienced anything like this pandemic. It has affected everyone on a global scale and I only hope that the next generation does not have to experience anything like this again. BHAV was all set to launch in April when COVID hit. Just like everyone else we did not know how long the quarantine would last and as week by week went by we know we were in this for the long haul. For us, that’s when it kicked in that we had to be creative. We had seen a lot of designers put their collections on hold for the year and that was a scary thing. We were right on the brink for launching and knew that was not an option for us. Therefore, we focused our efforts on networking with other creatives and marketing for our brand. We networked with other creatives to include them in our series ‘The Culture Connection’ and also decided to proceed with a soft launch of our products.
There’s a lot to learn from the pandemic for small businesses. Not only did we, but many other businesses had to think quickly for ways to keep themselves afloat. In doing so, the entrepreneurial instinct really kicked in for many because it was a means of survival. I think it’s very important to learn from this pandemic that in times like this, it is crucial to be open to change. Any business has the ability to adapt within their means. In doing so new products can emerge or the brand can discover a new direction to go in that they had never thought of.
As far as adaptations in our daily lives, so much has and will change. How we interact with one another, keeping in mind the safety of ourselves and each other, and just everything related to work, social life, family/home life, etc. will have a “new normal.” These changes will have to incorporated into our daily lives until a vaccine/cure is available.
Finally, as we eagerly await the days when we can return to Chicago and shop, I’m excited to ask what we can expect to see from BHAV in the coming seasons? What are your favourite pieces? When is the launch? And how are you celebrating?
I’m so excited to release our debut collection under the label ‘BHAV’ which is set to be out in June. All pieces will be available for purchase online via our website. The collection includes contemporary silhouettes which include tops, dresses and pants. All the pieces are versatile to wear and can be dressed up or down depending on how you choose to style them. As mentioned earlier, in an effort to incorporate more of a South Asian influence into the designs the collection primarily utilizes Ikat cotton and silks. All the designs reflect a little piece of South Asian heritage in an approachable way for all women here in the US to incorporate in their daily lives. Along with our apparel we also have Indian inspired accessories that are handmade by myself. There are tassel earrings that come in a variety of colors and also headbands made from Indian trims.
There are so many favorite pieces in this collection but I would have to say that one that stands out for me is the ruffle sleeve dress. It comes in two colorways and it’s a flattering silhouette on so many body types. It’s easy and fun to wear. Another piece that’s a little formal is the v-neck pleated silk dress. This is very similar to the ruffle sleeve dress although this one is sleeveless and has the bottom skirt portion made from silk. It’s such an elegant piece and would be a beautiful cocktail dress to any formal event.
We have so much to celebrate because of the new brand. Unfortunately, due to covid, we probably won’t be able to have a formal launch event anytime soon. It won’t stop us from having a celebratory drink for all the hard work and help I have had from my team. We also look forward to evaluating how the collection does with our customers and learning from the data to see how we can improve on the next collection. In addition to all this, we are coming up with collaborative events with other female entrepreneurs to co-host in Chicago on topics of following your passion. Follow us for more information on that! Overall, I hope to build the brand BHAV into something that all women can resonate with and at the same time feel beautiful, inspired, and confident when they wear my designs.
All Images courtesy of Bhavana Jain. For more information, please visit her site