Scanlan Theodore's Melinda Robertson on preparing for an 'inevitable' recession

When Melinda Roberston moved to the U.S. to work on Wall Street in 2012, she didn't expect to receive high praise for her wardrobe. Unlike her American counterparts, Robertson almost exclusively wore Australian fashion brand Scanlan Theodore, which specializes in workwear for women. To her surprise, however, Scanlan Theodore's chic aesthetic was a hit, and it led Robertson and her business partner, Sarah Blank, to approach Gary Theodore, the brand's founder, with a pitch: to launch the company in the U.S.  "[Scanlan Theodore Americas] was very much born out of [my and Sarah's] personal need and the feedback we were receiving [from female bankers]," Robertson said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. "One of the trickiest things [when launching in a new country] is knowing whether the product will translate. First: Is it going to translate internationally? We felt confident on that front, because all these women [on Wall Street] were so excited about our suits. Then, once you're [in the U.S.], the question is: How is it going to translate in other states? We felt confident on one front, so we did it." Two years after pitching the idea to Theodore, the trio became business partners on the U.S. business in 2017. Now, as co-CEO of Scanlan Theodore Americas, Robertson is responsible for growing the brand's presence in the American market. Currently, the company has two boutiques in New York City, plus stores in Long Island, N.Y., Miami and Dallas. A location in Washington, D.C. is set to open June 2023. "We've had to be patient," Robertson said. "We've secured the locations we wanted, and now we're focused on building the brand."