Episode 1

👩🏻 She’s an independent designer. 👨🏻 He’s a purchasing manager.

🎙Fiorella Dreier Gligoor and Vincent Burnel form an inseparable duo behind many of Ekkia Sport’s best-selling products — especially the “Je t’aime Equithème” line.

1️⃣ From the first collaborations to future projects

2️⃣ From idea to market

3️⃣ From inspiration to creation

Vincent, what’s your background and how did your collaboration with Fiorella begin??

I joined Ekkia three years ago as Head of Purchasing. My professional background was mostly in retail and store management, including international experience. After spending around fifteen years in Romania, I wanted to return to France, so I reached out to Xavier Darage, with whom I had started my career at Decathlon. He was looking for someone to succeed Claudine Schaeffer, who was retiring after 45 years with Ekkia. Around that time, Pascal had the idea of rejuvenating and elevating our Equithème brand through a capsule collection. To do so, we needed a designer — and the connection with Fiorella happened naturally, thanks to Monique, who had met her when they both worked for the same group.

Fiorella, tell us about your background and your first collaborations with Ekkia.

FDG: Before launching my own design studio in 2019, I trained at Imperial Riding, a Dutch equestrian brand, and later at HV Equestrian, focused on high-end equestrian fashion and lifestyle for riders and horses. I’ve been a rider since I was seven years old, so I’m deeply passionate about horses, fashion, and the mix of the two.

Our first project with Vincent was a grooming range — including the box and all the accessories. My style tends to break a few rules, so I created designs that were more girly, standing out from what existed before and perfectly aligned with Equithème’s young rider audience.

VB: To anchor this new range in the minds of our customers, we took Pascal’s words and gave it a name — “Je t’aime Equithème.” Riders immediately connected with the concept, so we continued with limited-edition items: saddle pads, work boots, riding boots, gloves, and luggage — from small pouches to travel bags and rolling suitcases. I brought the needs I identified, Fiorella designed them — and often surprised me with ideas I hadn’t even considered! Together, we visited suppliers to source the best raw materials, matching our quality and sustainability expectations.

Fiorella, what inspires you in your work?

FDG: As a designer, you always want to stand out and create products that are instantly recognizable. That means constantly staying alert. I admit I’m addicted to social media — but for a good reason! I look at what’s trending in other industries, spot new colors, materials, and styles, and adapt them to the equestrian world. My main source of inspiration is curiosity.

When we were in China meeting suppliers, after discussing timelines and minimum quantities, I would wander through markets and workshops to discover unique materials or small design elements that could make our creations stand out. My motto is: “Think outside the box!”

VB: Alongside Fiorella’s creative input, we make sure to keep our eyes and ears open in the field. With the Padd teams, we organize monthly meetings to capture customer feedback. We do the same with our B2B sales teams — both in France and abroad — since practices can vary greatly between countries. We also stay inspired through trade shows, supplier visits, and active monitoring of social media trends.

Vincent, from concept to store shelves — what does that journey look like?

Once Fiorella’s design is approved internally at Ekkia, it’s sent to selected suppliers, who provide minimum order quantities and costs, then produce the first samples. When received, Fiorella shares them with stables or partners for real-life testing and feedback — a crucial step.

For instance, we once designed a saddle pad using a quilted fabric, but the tests showed that riders tended to slide on it, causing premature wear. If the tests are positive, production starts, and products reach the market about 7–8 months later.

Rider textile development and variations are often handled in-house at Ekkia by Fanny and Natalia, our talented designer and pattern maker. Sometimes, when samples don’t quite fit the “Je t’aime Equithème” spirit but are still promising, we reassign them to one of our other brands — like Norton, Pro Series, or HippoTonic.

Fiorella, what projects are you currently working on?

Vincent and I have already collaborated on more than 50 projects — and I can only say that our next releases will truly surprise you! The rest is top secret for now… But as always, our goal remains the same: to bring everyday lifestyle products into the world of equestrianism.