Naman Shrestha
When fashion meets convenience and functionality, it results in a brand like 1920 or NineteenTwenty. Focused on providing convertible clothing that fits every other lifestyle, the products of NineteenTwenty Clothing were presented in front of potential investors by the founder, Ashley Sankar, and her husband, Zach Sankar, in episode 4 of ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ season 16. Hoping to get an offer from at least one of the sharks, Ashley showcased how a convertible jacket might just be the need of the hour for many across the globe.
1920 Clothing: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Auburn University graduate Ashley Sankar tapped into her creative soul when her busy lifestyle took a toll on her. Since she was involved in a lot of frequent travel and needed to carry multiple items for long periods, she came up with an idea for NineteenTwenty, a clothing product that could make her life easier along with millions of others. With NineteenTwenty, Ashley aimed to create a clothing line that provided stylish and fashionable jackets, a part of which could be transformed into a versatile bag. The next step was to file a patent, which she did in 2016. Once the patent came through, she decided to build a company around the same idea, and hence, 1920 clothing was born.
Hailing from a small town just south of Atlanta, Georgia, Ashley had been working as a US Army Logistics Officer in Fort Benning, Georgia, when she established the 1920 clothing company in 2018. Besides handling the responsibilities of owning a company, her ambitious nature did not let her stop at that. For three months in 2019, she worked as an Inventory Analyst at EY. Meanwhile, Ashley also served as a Forecast Analyst at Siemens from September 2019 to March 2020. Switching to Siemens Energy, she took on the role of Logistics Manager for more than a year. In June 2021, she got the opportunity to work at EY again, but this time as a Senior Business Consultant – Supply Chain and Operations. After serving there for 11 months, she switched to Amazon, where she is still employed as a Senior Program Manager.
In an interview with the Enthuse Foundation, Ashley was asked if being in the military for so long helped her become an entrepreneur in any way. She responded, “Absolutely. The military taught me a lot of discipline and gave me a lot of grit. When you start your own business, you must prepare for many “nos” until you hopefully get a yes. The military prepares you for that.” Finally, in 2022, NineteenTwenty was officially launched. It aims to keep producing innovative clothing articles to make the lives of its customers more convenient and functional.
Through 1920, Ashley Sankar and her team, which consists of her husband Zach Sankar, also hope to donate their unconventional jackets to the homeless and other people in need. 1920 offers jackets in different lengths and sizes, which range from XS to 5X. While the jackets in the SZN 003 Windbreakers category are priced between $72 and $148, the jackets in the SZN 004 Puffers category are available in the price range of $228-$278. Besides jackets, they also have the Ultimate Skirt available in different colors, priced at $61. Just like the jackets, a portion of these skirts also transform into a versatile bag.
1920 Clothing: Where Are They Now?
Not even a year into the launch of NineteenTwenty, Ashley Sankar decided to apply for the 2023 Pitch Competition. Although her company did not win, the founder earned $1,000, an investor, many new potential customers interested in her products, and someone who loaned them the money to purchase inventory for their 2024 NYC pop-up. During the above-mentioned interview with the Enthuse Foundation, Ashley also said, “It also gave me the confidence to pitch my business to other supporters, potential investors, and consumers!”
However, at the Grand Central University’s (GCU) Canyon Ventures Founders Forum Cohort 001 Demo Day in December 2023, NineteenTwenty Clothing won the Most Innovative Award for the patented convertible jacket, as the company earned around $196,000 in sales in just eight months without a marketing program in place. During the event, Ashley and her team showcased their innovative jackets by transforming them into tote bags that can even hold different kinds of items, including laptops.
On the President’s Weekend in 2024, NineteenTwenty held the pop-up store in New York City, which turned out to be immensely successful as they raised more than $27,000 from the event. In April, they also made an appearance on a podcast called ‘More than a Title.’ Given the success of their first pop-up in the Big Apple, Ashley and her team are scheduled to host another pop-up on November 16, 2024. Striving to reach greater heights with NineteenTwenty, they keep coming up with new styles and colors in the Dream Puffers category. You have the option of checking out their products and purchasing them on their official website.
Read More: 1587 Sneakers Shark Tank Update: Introducing Asian American Culture in Footwear
