At a young age Rachely Mota, 29, was mesmerized by the art of sewing. Her paternal grandmother would make her dresses and she would stare at every stitch from the sewing machine. In her free time, she would gaze at the TV for hours watching fashion shows enthralled by the designs.
These interests did not go unnoticed by her mother. At the age of eleven, she was gifted her very own sewing machine.
Her earlier work included clothing for her dolls and other smaller items. In middle school she took home economics where she learned about fashion illustration, allowing her to create her first drawings and sew her first bag.
During high school, she studied at the trade school Miguel Such, where she focused on tailoring and confectioning clothes. She later went on to major in interior and graphic design.
Interior design was eye opening and laid the groundwork for what would later inspire her biggest work. She continued to toil at a fabric store where she gained more knowledge in terms of types of fabrics, color schemes, materials, and designs.
After a while she decided to begin sewing handbags. For almost a year, Rachely took on two jobs to outfit a second room in her apartment that would soon house the operations of MOTA Handbags. “I must do what I love to do. Because if not, what point is there in living a life that we don’t want”, Rachely told herself as she took on the challenge of launching her brand.
The Covid-19 pandemic catapulted the sales and the brand. Her social media accounts grew and her brand became more and more recognized. She began participating in markets and pop-up shops.
“MOTA’s focus is to represent Caribbean women,” explained Rachely. Her bags are inspired from the Caribbean’s bright colors, the palm trees, Amapolas (poppy flowers), and even Puerto Rico’s iconic losetas criollas (national floor tiles). “I want people who wear my bags to feel represented everywhere they go.”
In her crafting process, Rachely wanted to ensure that each product was multipurpose. Driven from her experience of working at a textile shop, the fabrics used in these purses are for upholstery, bringing a high-quality and resistant product. A plus side is they can be hand washed without losing quality. Other materials include bamboo -which is also recycled- and wood. She also aims to take advantage of all the material available. Any remnants of fabric from larger purses are upcycled and turned into smaller purses or wallets.
Rachely’s dream is for MOTA to be an international brand. She currently presents as a vendor annually at New York City’s iconic Chelsea market that welcomes international entrepreneurs.
“MOTA is something beautiful because it is done with love. I am an empowered woman,” celebrated Rachely. If you are in Puerto Rico, be sure to stop by her cart in Plaza las Americas in Hato Rey and get a Caribbean stylish memento. You can also visit her web page and order online at motahandmadebag.com.
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