An unusual STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) concept combined with craftsmanship sewn into fashion creates a unique brand of technology-based fashion entrepreneurship.
Svaha USA is a STEAM-themed clothing and accessories brand whose online store is changing the face of clothing for women and children. Svaha celebrates women in all walks of life and confronts gender stereotypes with bright, fun clothing to let children’s imaginations soar.
Founder Jaya Iyer’s two-year-old daughter in 2015 was desperate for planet-themed clothing to fuel her dreams of flying into space as an astronaut. But nothing related to space in the clothing shelves existed.
Iyer used her knowledge of fashion merchandising to create a specialty apparel brand designed for her STEAM-themed assortment that challenged gender stereotypes. These efforts have allowed him to develop one of the most successful STEAM fashion brands for children and adults in the world.
“I wanted to encourage my daughter’s passion and other girls with similar interests in the best way I know how – with clothes! I realized there was a missed market for kids who love things that are not traditional when it comes to gender,” Iyer told TechNewsWorld.
The difference an ‘A’ makes
In doing so, Iyer has forged a bond that promotes academic STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) studies to a previously overlooked recognition of the role that art and the humanities play.
“I believe there is no STEM without the A [art]. Art is part of science, technology, engineering and even mathematics.
One of his biggest hurdles was being able to make clothing designs technically accurate. But working with women who are in the field has helped her overcome that hurdle.
“We are now working to put our products in front of more women so they can also wear these dresses and show their love for tech-themed clothing,” Iyer said.
From dream to reality
Today, only about 25% of computer scientists and 15% of engineers are women, according to data from the US Census Bureau. Iyer hopes to change that with her fashion line. Very responsive to customer suggestions, she developed about 95% of the designs from customer input.
“Our customers love our products! Teachers love to wear our clothes when teaching the concept represented in the design of our clothes. Professionals love to wear them to work and various conferences. We have a very loyal customer base who regularly come back to buy our products,” Iyer said.
STEAM influencer Dr. Arlyne Simon is a biomedical engineer who invented a blood test that detects when cancer patients reject a bone marrow transplant. She is also the founder of Abby Inventsa multicultural children’s product company that helps inspire young inventors.
Too used to being the “only woman” or “only black engineer” in a room, Simon sees Svaha USA as a game-changer. Her creative approach to helping close the gender gap in STEM makes science fun and fashionable, and enables girls and women to pursue careers in STEM.
“If she wears it, then she can be. Give a girl a space dress, and she imagines herself as an astronaut. Give her a biomedical engineering dress, and she visualizes herself creating vital health technologies,” Simon told TechNewsWorld.
This level of identity exposure is life changing. Ask a girl to draw a scientist, and more than likely she’ll draw an old man in a lab coat, she observed.
“When girls are not exposed to female scientists, they are unable to imagine themselves in these roles. But maybe all it takes for a girl to fall in love with space is for one teacher to talk about the solar system while twirling in Svaha’s Rings of Saturn skirt,” he said. -she adds.
This kind of grassroots support for advancing women in tech is essential. Science t-shirts and dresses are conversation starters and spark dialogue between girls and their mothers/educators.
“Tell me about your dress” can lead to a conversation about how mathematical models in epidemiology predict the spread of Covid-19. Since each Svaha dress is named after a famous scientist, the girls are introduced to notable women like Hedy Lamarr and Marie Curie,” Simon said.
Ladies in pursuit of space
Svaha has launched collections in collaboration with women who are making a difference in the STEAM fields today. These contributors include former NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg.
During his spare time on the International Space Station, Nyberg created handmade objects from discarded supplies and filmed them floating around gravity-free inside the station as gifts to his son, Jack.
His first thingy was a fabric dinosaur made from the fabric lining of Russian food containers. She stuffed it with strips of fabric cut from one of her used T-shirts hand-sewn with ivory thread on board.
Iyer and Nyberg teamed up to develop a dinosaur-themed clothing line. For this, Nyberg tapped into Jack’s solid knowledge of dinosaurs.
Her school-aged son, still a dinosaur lover and aspiring paleontologist, offered his mother some “dino advice” on her design for Svaha USA. He chose his four favorite dinosaurs to include in the design and provided him with an accurate representation of each in his Dinos in Space collection.
Birth of the concept
Jaya Iyer’s young daughter was already focused on becoming an astronaut when Jaya started her clothing business seven years ago. The company, named after Iyer’s daughter, developed its first line of partially funded products by launching a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $30,000.
Iyer then expanded the merchandise line by following customer suggestions for women’s clothing dubbed Smart Dresses for Smart Women. She again funded this style of dress with a second Kickstarter campaign that raised over $57,000.
Part of the inspiration for Iyer’s products came from Nyberg’s passion for creating memories for her son as she circled the earth.
“We were able to make the designs accurate by working with women who work in STEM fields. But reaching more people is still a work in progress. We have grown a lot…but we still have a long way to go,” she noted.
The connection between STEM and STEAM is a key factor for Iyer and his followers. Including art and humanities in her clothing line has provided something for all non-STEM professionals.
“We make literature, music, and library-themed products that appeal to a whole different set of customers,” Iyer noted.
The fact that art is an integral part of STEM is now accepted by more and more people, according to Iyer. If people can be educated on the importance of various fields of art in STEM education and professions, adoption will become much easier.
“We try to do that through our clothes and social media. But more people need to understand the importance of art in our lives,” she said.
Land wear
Iyer’s clothing collections allow scientists to tap into their inner Mrs. Frizzle. They also feel like a form of “wider impacts,” noted Kallie Moore, fossil librarian, science communicator and manager of the University of Montana paleontology collection. The company recently launched its Velociraptor design collection.
“By wearing your science, you invite questions and comments. I have all kinds of interactions while wearing Svaha USA pieces. It’s another way for me to spread my love of paleontology,” she told TechNewsWorld.
Kids having heroes is great. But often it can be difficult to connect with them. Having someone in your community, more at your level, succeeding in supporting women in STEM is more tangible, Moore offered.
“Jaya collaborates with real scientists, and it’s fun to see what they would do themselves. I hope this inspires others to create STEM-focused clothing for people who identify as female,” she said.
Coming from paleontology, where art is so intertwined with science, art is a huge plus. In paleontology, art helps us imagine what ancient creatures and ecosystems would have looked like, Moore continued. It allows us to get closer to our past. “Obviously being really, really good looking while being totally nerdy is also a plus,” she said.
STEAM Wear at a glance
Svaha USA’s high-quality, 100% organic, super-soft dresses all have a geeky twist and feature pockets, according to Iyer.
Each style of dress is named after famous women scientists such as Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin, Ada Lovelace, Ruby Payne-Scott and Dorothy Hodgkin.
Some of Svaha’s unique designs for dresses, skirts, blouses, t-shirts, cardigans, hoodies, sleepwear and accessories are visually intriguing.
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The collections feature everything from science heroes in raglan tops to sleek, high-quality dresses with STEAM-themed designs.
Other thoughtful selections include the Amazing Women Pioneers line of canvas bags, the PI Day collection, a Moon Phases Glow-In-The-Dark Ombré Ada dress, and a colorful Chemistry Lab Rosalind dress.
Also on offer are fashionable creative dresses featuring augmented reality, the iconic DNA double helix, trigonometry and even literary treasures such as Jane Austen.
Visit Svaha USA to browse all collections of geeky STEAM themed clothing and accessories.
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