At her core, Tina Bhojwani is an optimist. This spirit that her mother handed down has guided her through a storied career working at brands like Donna Karan, Theory, and Dolce & Gabbana. And now, it guides her in ventures to build a more sustainable fashion landscape as the entrepreneur behind a vegan shoe line called AERA and Figure Eight, a curated boutique. Read on for her insight into what a greener future will actually take (hint: creativity takes the stage).
♫ Listen to tina’s playlist | ⌨ tina’s last google search
on her morning routine
My morning routine is fairly simple—I try to meditate and practice gratitude, even if only for a few minutes and drink ¾ of a liter of room temperature water. Then I prepare a shot of Tahiti Trader’s Noni juice before having coffee and starting the day. I swear by Moccamaster by Technivorm for brewing Lavazza’s Tierra beans.
on her upbringing
I feel very fortunate to have had quite a diverse experience growing up. I was born in New Jersey and grew up in Westchester, NY, until I moved to Montgomery, Alabama, just before high school. Going from Westchester, where we took frequent trips into Manhattan (which was when my love affair with the city and fashion began), to a quiet, conservative part of the country where I was fortunate to attend a small private school afforded me a totally different perspective of life in America.
Also, being that my parents are from Mumbai, India, we often traveled there to visit extended family. Those trips set a strong foundation for me culturally and spiritually. The contrast of my protected life in America to the in-your-face realities and extreme poverty of India, a developing nation, grounded me.
on getting her start in fashion
I like to think it was serendipity—I was in NYC interviewing for jobs in finance and happened to meet an alumna of my university who was working for the beauty division of Donna Karan. She suggested that I leave my resume with the DKNY International Sales Department, so I did and was called in for an interview shortly after that. Working at Donna Karan was an amazing experience because it brought together my passions for international business and fashion. Since the company was growing so quickly, I was given a large amount of responsibility at a very young age. These formative years laid a strong foundation for the rest of my career and introduced me to a couple of people who remain my best friends until this day.
““I always tried to find ways to support others and do something larger than myself—be it sponsoring a child in India, volunteering in high school, tutoring in college, or enjoying mentoring younger people at work. I didn’t predict that I would spend my career in fashion, but my desire to do something greater than myself stays with me as I hope my work impacts the industry at large. A great quote by Picasso says, ‘The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.’””
on her journey to launching sustainable brands
We face an existential crisis when it comes to climate change. And, let’s be honest, this crisis is current. Once I started to learn about the social and environmental impacts of the fashion industry, there was no turning back. I chose to leave the comfortable corporate world to do mission-driven work and try to change the status quo. The result was launching my vegan and sustainable luxury footwear brand AERA and, more recently, Figure Eight, a multi-brand experiential hub for ethical and sustainable luxury brands. My goal for both projects is to show that style, quality, and design can (and must) go hand in hand with sustainability.
on building a sustainable future
Building a sustainable future requires knowing that the methods that created the problem are not the same ones that will solve it. Thankfully our industry is full of innovators. There are so many smaller brands whose core DNA is built on sustainability and doing better by people and our planet. And they are models for how the whole industry needs to change.
At the same time, the word “sustainable” is overused, which makes it difficult to discern between the real work being done and “greenwashing.” What will become increasingly important for consumers and investors is transparency, measurability, science, and third-party certification. Continual innovation in materials science and technology, plus the spirit people have, makes me optimistic overall.
on advice for those aspiring to work in sustainable fashion
Practically speaking, it is important that you do your research and understand what it means to be sustainable as a mosaic of models exist (social, environmental, materials, supply chain, workers’ rights, etc.). I would recommend gaining knowledge and experience by working for someone before going out on your own.
““Being an entrepreneur, one has to constantly be creative and pivot as it is rarely a linear path. At AERA, we were the first to launch a luxury shoe business with vegan materials, so we had to be creative in explaining the idea to factories that hadn’t worked with vegan materials (plus, it takes 1.5 times as long to make them). We also launched right before the pandemic hit, so financially, we had to find creative ways to keep the company going during a challenging time with limited resources. We did an equity crowdfunding campaign and raised money through friends, family, some of our existing customers, and some who had never heard of us before.””
on trends
The nice thing about trends is that they eventually come back, so they can be sustainable if we believe in reusing and a circular economy. Also, trends can reflect the culture and the times that we are living in. Today I see many young people are making it a priority to wear their values (which hopefully will be more than a trend).
on her inspiration
My mother is my greatest inspiration. She taught me the power of unconditional love and gratitude—she is an optimist and has instilled that in me, which goes a long way. She is also very young at heart, and her example shows that that age is just a number :)
on what she’s reading and listening to
We Are the Weather by Jonathan Safran Foer explores the dilemma of our time with urgency and shows with overwhelming scientific support that our planet is warming due to human activity. He explains that there is one small change each of us can make that can have a far-reaching impact on climate change: eating fewer animal products.
I’m also reading Lo-TEK: Design by Radical Indigenism by Julia Watson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Last Interview by Melville House, and The Originals by Adam Grant. The media resources I keep visiting include TED, NPR, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Oprah’s Super Soul Sundays, Atmos Magazine on Climate & Culture, The Brand is Female by Eva Hartling, and Moda Metiers by Neri Karra.
on aging
Aging has helped me to be more comfortable in my own skin. As I have aged, my notion of beauty goes beyond youth and what is external and towards what is derived from within and what surrounds us. To me, the most beautiful people are those who exude that magical combination of kindness and confidence.
on her beauty routine
Getting enough sleep and drinking a lot of water are probably the most important things in my routine. Product-wise I swear by Augustinus Bader’s The Cream, Supergoop’s City Serum, Vintner’s Daughter’s Active Botanical Serum, Dr. Hauschka’s lip balm, Guerlain’s Terracotta powder, and Frederic Malle’s Portrait of a Lady fragrance.
on her style
Many years ago, I was described as an “urban minimalist” by a Vogue journalist, and I think that is still quite accurate. I have always appreciated quality over quantity and elegant: well-made clothes that allow for individuality and longevity. I honestly haven’t been shopping much lately, except at our Figure Eight pop-up, where we have a variety of ethical brands. When I splurge, it is on a brand like Gabriela Hearst, The Row, Valentino, or Celine.
tina’s favorite spots in new york
Sant Ambroeus in the West Village at any time of the day, from coffee to dinner, BONDST for Japanese, Tamarind for Indian food, and The Polo Bar. For books, Three Lives & Company and Rizzoli. Bigelow Pharmacy for cosmetics, The Butterfly Studio for hair. And, The Met.
images by clémence polès, interview by marina sulmona