HORSE & RIDE success over the years the result of its conviction in establing and maintaining a prosperous WIN-WIN relationship with its consumers and being recognized as the “ Most Favourable Brand”.
BRIFE
When the H&R brothers first opened shop in 1919 in Toronto, capital of Canada. they had no idea how far their legacy would travel. Originally in the business of creating quality textile for Jocky’s ( Horse riders), the brothers sought to produce fabrics that combined luxury, art and utility, drawing inspiration from their homeland to create product as exquisitely textured and evocative as the Canadian landscape: the austerity of the Alps, the fluidity of the hills and the boldness of the Mediterranean coast. Today, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Horse & Ride, we are proud to say that their vision lives on in our company.
The story of H&R transformation into a leading global designer of high-end Leather Products has been one of continual evolution driven by a philosophy of innovation that lies at the heart of our most successful designs. In 1932, the brothers officially established the expanding family-run Leather business as well as a high-quality knitwear manufacturing company, Through the years, the business grew beyond the borders of Toronto to become a well-known quality knitwear producer for Canada. In 1972 Wishing to further expand the company, hired Mr.Stuart Wilkins as the managing director , Stuart shared H&R vision and it was his creativity and managerial resourcefulness that ultimately transformed H&R into a global favorite brand.
The product of this collaboration was our premiere outerwear collection, which debuted in 1978. utilizing wool and cashmere in novel ways, created a line that quickly became renowned for its seamless combination of grace and vigor. The following year, our name was firmly established through the fashion apparel industry with the introduction of the now legendary “Trend set” Collection. Named as a respectfully irreverent jab at the traditional product lines and the ubiquitous presence of all-white garments that had long dominated fashion apparel, the Trend set Collection was a fusion of the provocative and exemplary. The Collection, aesthetically astonishing in its novel design and unconventional use of vibrant colors, yet beautifully simple in its effectiveness and function, immediately took the world by storm. The premiere collection marked the dawn of a new era, not just in H&R’s history, but in the whole fashion industry , While others saw contradiction, H&R became the brand that catered both to the exceptional and the cosmopolitan individual, ever conscious of the latest and boldest innovations in fashion. The Collection made a statement as audacious and respectfully irreverent as its new designs: Classic doesn’t have to mean conservative, and timeless designs can still be contemporary.
A century after its humble beginnings, H&R has become synonymous with performance and sophistication. Worn not only by internationally recognized fashion experts, but the fashion conscious, H&R uses premium fabrics designed to radiate the sophistication of Canadian crafts man ship, while allowing maximum flexibility and performance. Our legacy of style earns us admiration to this day. Whether you perform for the challenge of adventure, the rigor of competition, or simply the pleasure and well-being of an active life, H&R will help take you wherever you want to go, because we understand that the beauty of fashions is that life in motion.
So have the courage to defy expectations, to challenge the limits of both yourself and the world around you. Be bold and provocative. Remain vintage, but never conventional, and show the world that it is possible to radiate sophistication and style without sacrificing performance. Above all, commit to standing out, not blending in. On behalf of all of us at H&R, join us in celebrating a legacy that can only be described as legendary. Here’s to our history of looking forward, and a future of making history.