Similar to actually riding a motorcycle, designing motorcycle apparel is all about balance.
For young entrepreneur Ava Murovec and her new apparel line Mura Motorcycle Apparel, this balancing act involves achieving the perfect mix of protective motorcycle gear, with a fashionable twist.
“After becoming part of the women's motorcycle community, I noticed a huge gap in the market for what women riders could wear that would offer the best protection but still have an element of fashion,” said Murovec.
“So my company is geared towards being protective on the bike and fashionable off the bike.”
For Ava Murovec, the journey to discovering a passion for motorcycles and fashion began when she was accepted into Kwantlen Polytechnic School’s four year fashion design and technology degree program.
“For our big final project we were tasked with coming up with an original fashion line,” explained Murovec.
“I had been riding a motorcycle for about four years at the time and had yet to find the perfect garment for on and off the bike so after doing a lot of research and talking with professionals I realized there was definitely a market for this type of apparel.”
For most, the thought of motorcycle apparel brings images of burly men wearing leather Harley Davidson vests, so it's no surprise to learn that many women struggle to find protective apparel that is neither bulky or overly masculine.
“I noticed a lot of women wearing t-shirts and regular jeans, which is pretty dangerous,” said Murovec.
“I’m not huge on the high fashion side of the industry, so it made sense to try to create apparel that is fashionable but also very practical.”
Murovec creates the garments herself and sources Canadian fabrics as much as possible, which isn’t the simplest way to start an apparel company.
“I wanted to keep everything local in Canada, but there isn't many fabric mills that produce fabric that I would like to use in my line,” explained Murovec.
“That becomes a big challenge when you’re doing everything on the creative side and the business side as well.”
Starting an original apparel line is a dream for anyone passionate about fashion, but it’s a dream that requires more work than meets the eye.
“A lot of people might imagine starting an apparel company is more fun than work,” laughed Murovec.
“Handling the business side, marketing side and actually making the apparel is more than a full time job, but it’s a labour of love.”
Those interested in viewing and purchasing Mura Motorcycle Apparel can check out the lines Instagram page by clicking right here.
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