If your kink wear can’t readily make the leap from a dark BDSM dungeon to a sunny, mimosa-fueled brunch, you haven’t yet been initiated into the cult of the Neon Coyotes — fresh, leather kink wear brand transforming restraints into runway-ready art.
From day-to-night collars, cuffs and gags to a playful, sexy new perfume, Los Angeles-based designer and company founder Jen Johnson’s boutique line seeks to embody the heart, spirit and creativity of kink and its practitioners.
You have to earn that customer, and we’re committed to making pieces that truly feel worth it.
“We make bold, handmade gear for people who play hard and care deeply about design, values and self-expression,” says Johnson. “There’s no shortage of black and red leather in the world. We saw a need for more color, nuance and quality in the kink space.”
Johnson traces the original inspiration for Neon Coyotes back to a single moment: receiving a wedding gift from her husband.
“It was a custom collar, coral-colored and dripping with gold hardware,” she recalls. “It was the first piece of kink gear I was actually excited to wear outside the house. I couldn’t stop thinking about how rare that was. Why shouldn’t there be an entire line of colorful, expressive collars that feel just as good as they look?”
While between jobs, Johnson learned leather crafting. With a shiny new set of tools, she built a small collection that seemed fairly reproducible, then used her savings to fly to Italy to meet potential suppliers, including a leather tannery.
“Sourcing is Neon Coyotes’ secret weapon,” Johnson confides. “It’s what gives our pieces soul and staying power. We’re not in the business of churning out gear that breaks down or gets tossed aside. That’s why we use vegetable-tanned leather, free of harsh chemicals and sourced responsibly from Italian tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group.”
Johnson’s leather adventures quickly became her full-time gig, and Neon Coyotes became a hit. She credits kinksters who seek quality BDSM gear for helping her stay off the traditional job market for good.
To stay ahead of the game and discern what those customers are looking for — even before they do — she implements a survey with all customer purchases, gathering more data on Coyote fans, who she says perfectly match her original intentions for the brand.
“I wanted to bring exoticism and self-expression to the forefront, challenge taboos and make space for kink gear that doesn’t have to stay behind closed doors,” Johnson explains. “That ethos shows up in our brand tagline, ‘Made to Be Seen.’ It’s a quiet defiance, and a celebration of queerness, kink and individuality. We’re here for the misfits, outsiders and anyone looking for gear that fits not just their body, but their energy.”
As for her company’s name, Johnson says “Neon Coyotes” is a nod to people on the fringes, those who don’t fit neatly into a box.
“I’ve always had a soft spot for the underdog,” she says. “Coyotes are often overlooked, seen as nuisances — but even when they’re pushed to the outskirts, they always find a way. Neon speaks to visibility. The idea of taking something that’s usually hidden or dismissed, and lighting it up.”
Having made her colorful mark on the leather gear scene, Johnson is now turning to perfume, designing “scents inspired by kinky personas.” She describes her first release, Brat Tamer, as a bright, sweet, bold-scented perfume. Johnson and her husband developed and manufactured the alcohol-, phthalate- and cruelty-free fragrance locally in Los Angeles, even printing the packaging just an hour north of her home.
“I’d never formulated a scent before,” she admits. “But 10 years ago, I worked at an ecommerce startup that only carried clean, body-safe products. That stuck with me. As someone with skin sensitivities, I held our fragrance to the same standards I set for our gear. After months of perfecting this inaugural fragrance, we’re looking forward to introducing more.”
Curious customers can get an early look at future Neon Coyotes collections at Los Angeles kink retailer The Stockroom, where Johnson often sends custom designs and prototypes. For now, she’s focused on the B2C market and keeps busy responding to emails, DMs and social media comments from customers who have become enamored with her handiwork.
“Some already know kink and want something unique they can’t find anywhere else,” she says. “For others, it’s their very first collar, and something about our brand feels like a safe place to start. Every time I hear that in person or see it land in my inbox, it encourages me to keep going.”
The brand’s inaugural year was mostly devoted to refining customer service, marketing, mission and the creative craft of working with leather. Now, in its second year, Neon Coyotes is seeing its efforts come to fruition, Johnson says. She is especially excited to expand her collection into a true lifestyle brand, starting with new fragrance drops before the year ends.
The kink brand boss lady’s only real complaint is lodged against one Mark Zuckerberg.
“While lingerie ads featuring suggestive imagery are commonplace, a Neon Coyotes ad with a fully clothed model wearing a collar, even sans leash, can be flagged as inappropriate,” she laments. “You can get shadow-banned on platforms like TikTok and Instagram for content that even hints at BDSM or adult themes, regardless of how tastefully it’s presented. That makes it difficult for potential customers to discover brands like ours, or for us to build community.”
Nevertheless, she remains optimistic.
“I’m confident we’ll see more people valuing quality and thoughtful design as the market grows,” declares Johnson. “You have to earn that customer, and we’re committed to making pieces that truly feel worth it.”
“We’re resilient,” she says. “Coyotes always find a way.”
