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Firm banks on 'foxhunt chic'
Jan 4 2005
It may seem a strange time to bring out a new range of designer riding wear when a ban on hunting with hounds in England and Wales is just weeks away, but a firm in the West Midlands has done just that.
Bosses at Endeavour Clothing, based in Quarry Bank, near Dudley, say business has never been better and claim the Government's foxhunting bill does not appear to have dampened pro-hunt supporters' enthusiasm for looking their best when riding out.
And the latest fashion trends for the "country look" also seem to have sparked interest from the non-equestrian fraternity.
Sales director Fiona Owen said: "It's not just for hunting, it's for competition and if you want to do winter dressage or show jumping.
"In terms of hunting, when better to launch a hunting range than when everyone is talking about it? The people who hunt are prepared to continue regardless of the ban."
The five items of clothing in the range are all made in the UK, and are named after characters and places in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
The "Isabella" anti-cellulite jodhpurs have, apparently, been "welcomed with open arms" by many women riders, said Ms Owen.
To accompany them, they can buy a pure wool "Catherine" hunting jacket, a pair of "Linton" leather, cashmere-lined gloves, complete with nine-carat gold logo, and an "Earnshaw" 100% silk hunting tie or stock (a type of cravat).
A handmade "Penistone" tie-pin is cast in 18-carat gold by master craftsmen in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter.
Ms Owen, who rides with the Albrighton Woodland Hunt in Shropshire, said the whole idea for a designer hunting range came from discussions among colleagues, all of whom ride.
"We wear nice clothes in the day, but when it comes to riding, you put on something that's usually made of polyester and made in Taiwan. You're embarrassed to be seen in it. It's awful.
"Everything is 100% UK made... You're paying for quality and craftsmanship and supporting UK trade."
