Roadskin is celebrated for its stylish, protective motorcycle jeans that combines safety and comfort. We are committed to continuous improvement by actively listening to our customers, particularly expanding our women's collection. Our designer, Sue-Mee Cheung, shares insights into her creative process.
Sue Mee, how did you get involved with Roadskin motorbike clothing?
After graduating with a degree in fashion, I have been in the industry for over 30 years. I've designed an enormous scope of clothing in that time - ladieswear, menswear, knitwear and jersey, yoga-wear, activewear, swimwear and nightwear. However, I had never designed bike clothing until the Marketing Director of Roadskin, an old friend, thought putting me forward to Ian and Nicky to help expand the range was an idea. They were evaluating what to do with the overall business over the next few years, and designing and creating new products were at the core of planning. Since I was taken on board, we have added more men's clothing and accessories and introduced ladies' wear. This includes more tailored versions of our bestselling bike jeans and products designed specifically for women, such as our Bronté leggings. We listen carefully to our customers and keep everything aligned with Roadskin's values of producing protective and stylish high-quality motorcycle wear. We also believe in collaboration at the company, so all staff are involved, from product suggestions to getting their say at the various stages of concept design to the final stages of refinement.
What are the new womenswear products to look out for?
We plan to launch the Freya bike leggings and a ladies' version of the Easyrider motorcycle hoodie jacket by the end of the year. The latter is the first hoodie of its type in the world to attain a CE safety rating.
The Freya leggings will be our most fitted leggings, with a waist adjuster on the inside. They come in black and look like leather. Like all our clothing, we want them to work on and off the bike. They have a soft, comfortable Kevlar® lining, and the hip and knee armour is the new and unique Rheon armour, which is flexible and smooth. We're testing them with customers and incorporating their feedback to get the fit, feel, and look right.
We are adapting the Easyrider hoodie because we are constantly asked for a women's version when we're at shows. Women have been buying the small and medium men's sizes, but the jackets don't fit as well as we would like them to, especially around the bust and the hips. So we're designing a more feminine, fitted version, which is slightly shorter. It's much curvier, but it has the same components and looks as the men's one, complete with the detachable hoodie and the armour in the back, shoulder and elbows. Couples will be able to buy his 'n' hers hoodie jackets! They will look good worn with the Bronté and Freya leggings and all our bike jeans. Initially, this hoodie will come in black, although we are exploring other colours - that's still in development.
What is so special about Roadskin's womenswear?
When I talk to female customers at the shows, they say they appreciate seeing a female designer on the team, as it brings an understanding of women's shapes and needs. Finding decent women's clothes for biking can be a struggle because most brands don't get it right. After all, most of the designers are all men. What usually happens is that men design the men's motorcycle clothing, and then they get asked to design the womenswear, but they don't know how to, in terms of cuts and proportions.
Women's motorbike wear has to be much more fitted to accommodate women's curves. Everybody comes in different shapes and sizes, but women are much more variable in shape and size than men. Men are more straightforward to design for because it's a top, jeans and a hoodie, whereas women want something more feminine to wear on a bike - they don't want to look like a bloke when riding. That's what I find, anyway - although you also get women who want to look unisex. But, as a designer, I think there should be a difference between how they look on a bike.
One customer came in and tried on our women's Taranis jeans. She said, 'Oh my gosh, I've finally found some jeans that feel like they've been designed for me. Is it because you've designed them?' And I said, 'Yes,' and she said, 'It makes such a difference. I'm so glad that a woman is designing the womenswear. They curve round the bum and go up your waist and everything.' It was terrific to hear that.
One thing I'd like to do in future is focus groups, where we get loads of women motorcyclists in all shapes and sizes to come in and give us feedback on what they are looking for in biker clothing and accessories.
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What would you like to see in Roadskin's women's range? Please feel free to email Sue Mee and the team at design@roadskin.co.uk
Look at our bestselling ladies' motorcycle jeans, the AAA-rated Taranis in black and indigo.
