Tag Archives: EQUESTRIAN

HERMÈS

The ultimate in luxury brands, Hermès is synonymous with opulent and sumptuous goods, finished to the highest standards. This house has perfected the art of luxury since its foundation as a saddlery in 1837. From the outset, the Hermès brand was a favourite of the highest of nobility and the Parisian elite who would seek out no other maker for their equestrian and carriage equipment. The maison would use it’s leather-making expertise to craft various other accoutrement essential to the comfortable travel of its distinguished customers, including luggage and travel cases. With the advent of the automotive age, the brand would apply its prestige and know-how to upholstering the very best motor cars and expanding into leather goods, such as handbags, belts, boots and so forth. This also marked the transformation of the brand into a high fashion label, renowned for their selection of the best materials and elaborate prints to create beautiful accessories and apparel. Today the brand stands as the height of luxury, admired and desired throughout the world.

PATEY HATS

One of London’s most illustrious hatters, Patey traces its history back to 1695. The brand’s first store, however, opened in the West End in 1799. The firm garnered a reputation as standard bearer in the industry, producing fine hats by hand to the most esteemed customers, including HM the Queen of England who bestowed a Royal Warrant upon them. Patey Hats was the preferred maker for the legendary hat designer, Herbert Johnson whose own hat studio ultimately absorbed parts of the Patey house before becoming part of Swaine Adeney Brigg in 1996. The Patey brand remains today as part of the Firmin House group.

SWAINE

One of Britain’s great luxury goods houses, Swaine (Swaine Adeney Brigg) has been supplying high-end accessories, leather goods, luggage and accoutrements to Europe’s upper classes for more than two centuries. Founded in 1750 as a saddlery, Swaine became synonymous with the finest quality riding equipment and travel accessories, a reputation that persists today. The house acquired noted umbrella maker, Brigg in 1943 and milliner Herbert Johnson in 1996 to place the firm at the forefront of the luxury accessories market.