Motorcycle culture is no longer the gentleman’s club it used to be where women took their seat at the back of the bike. With new generations inspired by the open road, a recent study by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) shows that women make up 19 percent of motorcycle owners, which has doubled from a decade ago. A shift in demographic also means more purchasing power among the female biker population.
When it comes to shifting gears towards ladies options, one woman-owned business finds itself a pioneer at the forefront of an industry that for decades catered towards the opposite sex. Debra Chin founded MotoChic with women on the go in mind.
As an owner and rider herself, she explained that the gear available for women is limited, describing how most mainstream manufacturers take a “shrink it and pink it” approach to apparel and accessory design.
“I came up with the concept for MotoChic in 2013 to answer the need for high quality, design-conscious clothing and accessories for ladies with active lifestyles,” she said.
“Women are so multifaceted. We do so many things in the course of a day and we want to have our things and we want to look good,” Chin said. “I wanted something that would go throughout my day and night and would look good, feel good, make me feel confident. I just thought, why isn’t there one bag that would do this for me?”
“I was inspired by the many women I met and surveyed on and off the bike during the development phase of my first product — The Lauren convertible bag.”Named after actress, model, and motorcycle enthusiast Lauren Hutton, this versatile bag was designed for today’s woman on the go. When she’s commuting to the office or running errands; it can be used as a handsfree backpack when riding or as a stylish handbag/laptop bag off the bike.
Her flagship bag offers backpack and tote straps that each have their own tuck-away compartments when you’re using one or the other. Depending upon what you’re carrying, you can leave the side snaps open or closed for a slimmer bag profile.
Its additional features include a water-resistant lining and organizational pockets, with a protective compartment big enough to hold a laptop, reflective panels for nighttime riding and a hideaway rain/dust fly. Listening to other requests from her customers and fellow bikers, the lighter, vegan leather Lauren Sport contains interior LED lighting for interior visibility.
“It was a lot of incrementalism and taking feedback from customers and seeing what worked and what didn’t that began to expand beyond the core design,” she explained.
From conception to retail, Chin launched her MotoChic e-commerce site in 2015 and signed on retailers later that year. She also introduced a small bag that can be worn five different ways for carrying essentials, The Valerie, inspired by the “World’s Fastest Female Motorcycle Racer,” Valerie Thompson.
Chin explains that although she founded MotoChic with motorcyclists in mind, the apparel and accessories serve women beyond the biker niche. They’re made for those who value both fashion and function for everyday lifestyle
In 2016, both bags were featured in a Zulily event showcasing top brands founded by women. The Lauren has since found its claim to fame on the TV screen as it was selected by actress Christina Chang to accessorize her character’s look on ABC’s The Good Doctor. Chang personally requested the backpack/tote as she felt it was the best fit playing Dr. Audrey Lim, a sophisticated surgeon and motorcyclist. According to Chin, The Lauren has a recurring role on the show.
“In any scene where she’s leaving the hospital, [Christina Chang] said that’s going to be her main bag,” Chin said.
Aside from MotoChic’s best-selling bags, the brand has extended into small accessories and performance apparel for both men and women with advanced features. Tees, tanks and sweatshirts come treated with an antimicrobial agent preventing odor-causing bacteria.
From Bridal Boutique to Biker Chic
Chin considers herself a “late bloomer” when it comes to bike culture. The San Francisco local took up riding as a way to explore the bay area with her now-husband. Her journey to entrepreneurship began in another realm of fashion – bridalwear.
Originally from the Bronx, New York, Chin moved to Northern California during the height of the dot-com bubble and decided to settle in San Francisco working for startups. Wanting to go into business for herself, she opened a bridal boutique entering the demanding world of making wedding dreams come true, Chin developed a customer-centric mindset that would later transcend into her design-conscious ethos of MotoChic products.
“I want to keep listening to the community to see what women want and need so that inspires me and drives me,” she said.
While startups were part of her professional background, she discovered that building a brand around a product created from scratch proved to be a learning curve. Chin not only threw herself into bridging her knowledge gap in product design, but also had to become well-versed in manufacturing and production. MotoChic has come a long way since launching on Kickstarter, raising $30K in 30 days to fund the first round production and flourishing to achieve first place for SF Start-ups Showcase and MIC Gas Tank Competition, received Design Patent US D791,680 for the Lauren bag and won Powersports Business Nifty 50. Despite the obstacles and learn-by-experience nature of the business, Chin finds her “motopreneurship” to be rewarding.
When it comes to creating more inclusivity among female riders in the motorcycle community, Chin is taking initiative with her product line. Growing her brand, she hopes to inspire and empower other women to break the barriers within this male-dominated industry.
Debra Chin launched MotoChic in 2015 with the mission to create stylish yet functional gear for women on the move. As a female motorcyclist, she noticed a lack of representation, quality and versatility within women’s accessories. She set out to design and produce a convertible backpack/tote named after style and female motorcycle icon, Lauren Hutton. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, “The Lauren” bag became MotoChic’s flagship product. MotoChic has expanded into a lifestyle brand offering to include innovative apparel and accessories for those who live life in the fast lane. www.motochicgear.com
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