From ‘Stable-to-Street’

“The students were so professional and treated us as clients,” McCaffery says. “They had us present our objectives, which helped them understand the marketplace and the learning curve of the riding world and its vast industry.”

“Mark and the students were really helpful,” Sedgwick adds. “They took the time to educate us on all facets of the product line development process, including milling and manufacturing.”

When developing the prototypes—one for cool weather, one for warm—they made many adjustments from the original concept.

“In the beginning stages, we constantly tested out different fabrics and had to adjust the fit quite often,” Larson notes. “It wasn’t until the first prototype that everyone felt really confident in the way the pant fit and the fabric felt. We also got great feedback from test riders who became some of our first customers.”

“We were doing really grassroots marketing and processing,” McCaffery says. “We ended up educating each other in the various stages of the product line development.”

By the second semester, the team moved into the production process. Sedgwick began working on the user experience aspect with the students, while McCaffery partnered on developing production and final cost projections. Ferrero, who enjoys working in functional designs, drafted the design and coordinated directly with a Philadelphia-based pattern maker. Marketing students examined tack shops to discover where shoppers might purchase riding apparel, and finance students researched formation options, such as limited partnership versus LLC. They conducted different design trials for women of all sizes and body shapes and made adjustments accordingly.

While not all their original design objectives were attainable, the student teams consistently connected with the women to make sure their prototype aligned with the majority of their expectations.

The finished prototype achieved a majority of the original product objectives: all-day wearability for riding or activities; comfortable and flattering movability features; breathable, technical fabrics; mid- to high-rise fit; and suede knee patches for just the right amount of grip needed in the saddle. The pants also feature a super slim mesh pocket to hold a cell phone securely allowing a rider to check her phone without removing it. The elastic band was eliminated at the ankle, replaced by a double layer mesh cuff at the bottom that’s cooler and more breathable. The fabric is easy to clean and resistant to dirt and hair.

Named BOTORI (for born to ride), the company launched two pant designs—the Taylor and the Gina, named for the two students most influential in the development—in early 2018. The company is on its third product run, with plans to include sun shirts and new fabrics in a lighter color palette.

The students not only enjoyed working on BOTORI, but they learned more than they had anticipated. “What I loved most about the project was the team dynamic and having my hands in everything,” says Ferrero, who hand-stitched the first prototype and helped with the marketing, branding and client prospecting. “It was great to build a product from the bottom up and learn how to keep focused.”

Larson couldn’t agree more. “I gained great communication skills when working with teams and industries, time management, how to work with a manufacturer and how to react quickly to make important decisions,” she says.

Sarah Devine ’16, a fashion design major, was amazed at seeing how much goes into product development. “Working on BOTORI showed me how complicated it is to build a startup company, from creating a name and logo, to developing a marketing strategy,” she says.

McCaffery and Sedgwick felt they learned more than they ever thought possible from the experience and are grateful to Jefferson for helping them achieve their dream.

“If it weren’t for Mark, the students and the University, we would have given up,” McCaffery says.