Biking may be a more energy-efficient mode of transportation, but it’s not the most convenient for professional women. While businessmen can hop on a cycle in their three-piece suits and pedal away, women’s fashion is not necessarily designed with straddling a seat, pedaling or even steering in mind. Seattle designer Ann DeOtte hopes to change that with her Iva Jean fashion line, currently raising capitalon crowd-funding site Kickstarter.

“I started Iva Jean in early 2010 to encourage women to get on a bike and ride with the style, personality and confidence they bring to every other aspect of their lives,” DeOtte wrote about her startup. “I believe that while we shouldn’t have to buy a lot of gear to ride, the items that we do buy should be functional and fashionable, working on and off our bikes.”

DeOtte launched Iva Jean with a specially-designed rain cape in 2011. The cape not only provides a functional solution for rain protection, but a stylish appearance for the working woman on the go.

Constructed of Ultrex 2-ply waterproof fabric, the rain cape features a cord pull system, reflective piping, a high collar and a billed hood. After the rain cape’s release, Iva Jean was honored with the fashion grand prize in DailyCandy’s Start Small, Go Big contest.

“Very rarely does a product strike me as genius, but this one definitely has me questioning my sanity for riding in the rain pre-cape,” Haute Americana blogger Alexia Cameron wrote of the rain cape last year.

“The cape has a high collar to prevent wind and rain from hitting your chin and neck, thumb loops secure the cape around your hands to keep them dry, the hood can easily be worn with/without a helmet, and there is reflective piping on the front and back for added visibility.”

In the past year, Iva Jean has introduced additional pieces, including a two-way reflective vest, the Daily Blouse and the Reveal Skirt. All were designed under the premise of allowing working women to build a street-to-bike wardrobe. The reveal skirt is revolutionary in design in that it provides the tailored look of a pencil skirt, but unzips in the back to expose additional fabric so the wearer can pedal easily. Likewise, the reflective vest is designed to not only provide visibility while biking, but reverses for multiple stylish designs. The Daily Blouse also provides the biking professional a tailored, yet comfortable fashion that can be worn from the bike to the office.

Iva Jean has already surpassed its Kickstarter goal of $15,000, reaching more than $20,000 with 10 days to go in the campaign. Pledges can be made for as little as $10. The minimum pledge entitles the donor a link to his or her blog or Web site on the Iva Jean funder’s page. Pledges ranging from $70 to $550 will provide the backer with a variety of Iva Jean designs, which are expected to be available in April 2013. Any pledge of $700 or more will offer the backer an Iva Jean retailer package. Retailer packages include a multitude of designs with a total retail value of about $1,380.

Funds raised through the Kickstarter campaign will be used not only for final pattern development and production, but also for sourcing and purchase of needed fabric and product hardware. Iva Jean also plans to utilize raised funds in the production of its four core design pieces, and additional research and development for a fall/winter 2013 line.