It can. This WashU engineering alum never envisioned a career in fashion. But using the skills he learned at WashU, he co-founded a business that transforms harmful invasive species into luxurious exotic leathers that protect Earth’s ecosystems and restore native biodiversity.
Kahan Chavda and his brother fell in love with scuba diving and exploring vibrant reefs, but over time they noticed that the coral ecosystems were shrinking. After investigating, they discovered that invasive species, such as lionfish, are mostly to blame. Introduced in the 1970s, lionfish are predatory non-native species that voraciously consume native fish and damage coral reef health throughout the Caribbean Sea.
In fact, invasive species are responsible for 60% of species extinctions worldwide and every year inflict $423 billion in damages.
60%
global plant and animal extinctions involving invasive species
$423B+
global annual damages incurred
To attack this problem, Chavda drew on his WashU education to help build a business that creates something positive out of a negative situation. In 2020, alongside his brother Aarav Chavda and friend Roland Salatino, Kahan co-founded INVERSA Leathers. Their Florida-based company creates exotic leathers from invasive species — such as lionfish from the Caribbean Reefs, carp in the Mississippi River Basin, and python from the Greater Everglades — that are then used to make leather goods like shoes, purses, wallets, belts and jewelry. This new pipeline of materials that restore ecoystems has been eagerly adopted by luxury designers, such as Gabriela Hearst, who first debuted INVERSA’s materials in September 2024 during Paris Fashion week.
How did Chavda turn his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and minor in mechanical engineering into a career in fashion? He says the problem-solving skills he learned while studying engineering are invaluable and something he uses every day.
“It’s the engineering principles — taking a step back and seeing the larger framework that will get you to a solution,” he says. “I never imagined this would be my path, but one thing I learned at WashU is that life is going to throw curveballs, and that’s not a bad thing. Get ready to run with it!”
I never imagined this would be my path, but one thing I learned at WashU is that life is going to throw curveballs, and that’s not a bad thing. Get ready to run with it!
Kahan Chavda
And he is still in contact with two WashU professors, Patricia Widder in engineering and Glenn MacDonald in business. They are mentors who encouraged and advised him as he and his team launched INVERSA, and he says he still calls them to troubleshoot issues.
WashU is the place that allows you to pursue your passions. WashU offers the options and pathways to do what you want. Dare to dream, and you can have it.
Kahan Chavda
Fostering innovation.
