In the saturated market of equestrian clothing, it’s tough for new brands to make an impact in a retail environment underpinned by traditionalism, and only slowly beginning to view riders as athletes – something TGP readers know I feel strongly about.
Autumn 2017 saw the launch of Egyptian-designed, Italian-made brand Sakkara. To me, it’s the most exciting new equestrian wear to hit our Instagram feeds, online shopping carts, and saddles in some time.
A pair of breeches are a very personal thing. They’re a tool as much as an item of clothing and when we find a pair we like, we tend to stick with them. For me, a fan of half-seat versions of styles by Horseware Polo, AA Platinum, and Pikeur, Sakkara’s Javi style were the single most comfortable breeches I’ve swathed my legs in in a long time with that lovely silky feel that only premium fabric can give you.
I spoke with Zeina Hosni, creator of Sakkara, to find out more about the inspiration behind her stylish first collection. From Egypt, Zeina began riding at the age of two, and was educated in Britain, where she fell in love with showjumping.
“I began riding in the countryside district of Sakkara in Egypt at the age of two, at a country club that my parents took me to. It was a beautiful place where you could hack horses out in the desert or ride in the big arenas under the palm trees and sunshine.
I began showjumping competitively in Egypt in the early 2000s and progressed through local, national and international levels of competition. In 2010, I retired my best horse and simultaneously fell into polo.
I continue to play polo today, but the arena is always calling to me, especially since I started working on Sakkara.”
About 30km south of Cairo, Sakkara is a vast, ancient burial ground, dotted with mesmerising ancient Egyptian pyramids reminiscent of an Indiana Jones film, or an Agatha Christie mystery. It’s the home of the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser, which you can see echoed in the distinctive Sakkara logo.
“Sakkara (the place) is what inspired me to start Sakkara (the brand). It’s where I discovered horses at a very young age, and where I began riding. It’s a place that represents a love of horses and a dedication to riding. I continue to ride in Sakkara to this day.”
Years before Sakkara began, with no background in design or training as a designer, Zeina used to sketch jodhpurs and show shirt designs, filing them away in a folder until one day, in the summer of 2015, she decided to turn these years of thoughts on paper into something real.
“I thought to myself ‘I’m going to do it. I don’t know how…but I’m going to do it.’
The design process consisted of myself, my tablet and apple pencil. Literally. The whole process has been a tremendous learning experience and that is what I have loved the most. I knew nothing about manufacturing or retail.
I wanted a contemporary, athletic and versatile aesthetic, and that is what I worked at. I sketched, erased, and sketched again until I was happy with the result.
I began working with a manufacturing agent in February of 2017, and he was the one that connected me with a very well established equestrian apparel manufacturer in Italy who we now work with to produce the collection.”
Sakkara’s aesthetic and message are as vital to the brand as the products it sells, with a carefully curated Instagram feed and an elegant website that help to define the Sakkara lifestyle and really set the brand apart.
“I didn’t want to create something that was just based on selling or pushing product. I wanted to create a real brand, identifiable across all of its platforms for its style and aesthetic. A brand that promotes a love of horses, performance and horsemanship, and concurrently sells products that embody that message, for people who value the time they spend in the saddle just as much as the time spent out of it.”
And that’s what I love about Sakkara, it’s equestrian performance apparel, designed for athletes who happen to ride horses, by athletes who ride horses, and it’s what we need more of.
