winter clothing
As we all know only too well here in the UK, our inclement weather can easily wreak havoc with plans to enjoy our horses in winter, but there is no need to concede defeat! The right clothing can turn the worst that the weather may throw at you into a mere inconvenience.
Enjoy the outdoors, whatever the weather “ Equine Page 24
Since the brand launched twenty five years ago, Toggi clothing has been a faithful partner in the lives of countless equestrians, from Badminton champions to weekend pleasure riders. Toggi’s design team has a passion for fashion that is rivalled only by their total down- to-earth dedication to the practical, the wearable and the comfortable. Few brands know better what it takes to make great clothing for riders and Equine spoke exclusively to Louise Deery, head of design at Toggi, to give you some insights into just what goes into the design and manufacture of good quality equestrian clothing.....
“The first thing that goes into a clothing collection is time! It takes well over a year to design
a collection from concept to first design drafts through prototyping, testing and manufacture until it is delivered into your local tack shop for you to enjoy. The second thing is lots of research. At Toggi we work to combine the latest fashion trends into garments that are both practical and functional for riders. Our design team regularly visit trade shows such as Premiere Vision and Texworld where the latest fabric and design trends are showcased. We work closely with a range of riders (both professional and amateur) to gather feedback, understand their needs and design products that will become part of their riding wardrobe. We also have a good and well established supplier base with whom we work closely on every detail of development and this helps to ensure that our designs are realised. The strong relationships that we have with our suppliers ensure that they understand the high standard that we require and that our customers expect.
The design process itself requires meticulous planning. Once the initial designs have been detailed for each piece in a new collection, our design team develops (sometimes multiple) prototypes of every garment and we ensure that these are thoroughly trialled to
be certain that they are fit for purpose and satisfy the needs of horse riders. We have a panel of riders (that includes our brand ambassadors - Pippa Funnell, Kitty King, Piggy French and Sophie Wells) who act as core testers for many of our new designs, providing feedback and insight to ensure that the riding products we produce offer outstanding performance and reliability. In a nutshell, we want to design products that riders will want to wear and perform as they need them to perform.
When it comes to the long term performance of a piece of clothing, the choice of fabrics is paramount. All Toggi outerwear features a DWR finish (Durable Waterproof Repellent finish) which works to ensure that any moisture will bead on the surface of the fabric and roll off, rather than being absorbed into the garment. A DWR finish will help the fabric to stay cleaner whilst also stopping it from wetting out, which keeps you more comfortable on long, winter days. Care of such fabrics is extremely important to guarantee their long term performance. To prolong the life of DWR fabrics, ensure that only non-biological detergent is used and do not use a fabric softener. We also recommend Nikwax products for reproofing. From outerwear right down to socks we select the best fabrics to suit the design of each individual piece.
This includes everything from fabric construction to dyeing and finishing and we work closely with suppliers and mills and collate the latest research and development before final fabric choices are made. A great example of where advanced technological fabrics enhance rider performance and comfort is in our Aerocool pieces - Misty, Molly, Nadia, Monica and Hinton. The Aerocool technology absorbs and transports moisture away from your skin to the outer layers of the fabric where it dries faster. This quick evaporation means that your body uses less energy to keep you cool and helps to dramatically improve wearer performance. Finally, we’re always listening to customer feedback – both from horse riders and our retailers. Our ultimate goal is to keep riders warm, dry and looking good and we work day in and day out to make sure Toggi clothing is the very best it can be.”
To see the full Toggi collection visit
www.toggi.com
Versatile, waterproof and breathable, the Clementine riding jacket is just as good out of the saddle
The waterproof and breathable Keddington jacket incorporates a DWR finish
A high tech zip top, the Hinton features Aerocool fabric technology
www.theequinesite.co.uk
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