Episode 3

Launching a new product on the equestrian market requires intuition, creativity, and a very precise mastery of brand positioning and manufacturing processes.

At Ekkia Sport, Céline Leroux, Art Director of the brands Pénélope and Paddock Sports, and Xavier Darage, Purchasing Director, form an inseparable duo.

🛣️ Their career paths

🌟 Their creative process

🏆 Past and future successes

What are your respective backgrounds, and how did you come to work with Ekkia Sport?

XD: I am entirely self-taught. I entered the professional world at the age of 20, with a career mainly in mass retail, including 10 years at Decathlon, where I took part in the creation of the Fouganza brand in 1994. As a side note, Céline and I actually crossed paths at the Decathlon store in Herblay, in the Val-d’Oise region!I first joined Ekkia in 2001 as Export Director for 18 months, then returned 15 years later to structure the purchasing department as Purchasing Director.

CL: From a very early stage, I developed a strong taste for entrepreneurship. I first opened a saddlery shop in Maisons-Laffitte, which I ran for five years from 1998 to 2003. Then, in line with the expectations of my rider clients and alongside the rise to top-level competition of my childhood friend, rider Pénélope Leprévost, I created the brand Paddock Sports, which designs made-to-measure and customizable equestrian apparel.This was followed by the creation of Pénélope Collections in 2010 and the partnership with Ekkia Sport in 2018.

What does the creative process look like?

CL: What I love above all is creation and the journey that leads a product from an idea to the store shelf: imagining new collections, anticipating trends, and diversifying ranges, as we recently did at Pénélope with jewelry and leather goods.But without Ekkia Sport’s purchasing team, these ideas would never come to life. Together, we work on prototypes, search for the perfectly suited materials, and define optimal price positioning. All product families must coexist harmoniously with the brand’s values: elegant, casual-chic pieces designed with real thought for our female rider customers.

XD: Since Céline has about twenty ideas per second, we talk at least ten times a day! The key is our complementarity and our deep understanding of the target audience. My role is to orchestrate Céline’s ideas within a team where Michèle Trapp (operations coordinator) is the organizational backbone of the brand, Natalia Ehrohlt (pattern maker) focuses on fit, and Lara Pitteli (product manager) handles product listings.Every month, a steering committee meets in Haguenau with Pascal Gautherin and Laetitia Bourdon to validate ideas, prototypes, and collection plans. And of course, everything must align with field feedback shared by Monique Westerdaal, our Sales Director—particularly from export markets, which will be our key focus in the coming years.

What makes Pénélope a distinctive brand and explains its success?

CL: I would say the brand’s originality in a fairly traditional market, even though things have been evolving in recent years. We also design every product to meet the aspirations of young female riders who want more fun in their equestrian wardrobe.Finally, many items in the Pénélope collection can easily be worn outside the stables, in everyday life. This is undoubtedly one of the brand’s future strengths.

XD: Following Céline’s lead, we are exploring markets we had not previously covered. The launch of fragrances, leather goods, and jewelry is the perfect example. It is up to us to adapt our manufacturing processes, find new suppliers, and grow together with them.Our main suppliers are fully involved in the brand’s development. The level of trust is such that they often become a source of ideas themselves. The brand’s success is also rooted in one key principle: never compromising on quality.

Looking back, what have been your greatest successes? And can you share any previews of what’s coming next?

CL: Without hesitation, the Lyon jacket—a bomber-style jacket lined with ultra-soft fleece. It is one of our bestsellers, worn both at the stables and in the city, with around 70,000 units sold.Then there are the fully waterproof lined boots, which have been a great success and a real asset for riders spending long days on demanding terrain. In the coming months, we will continue to highlight protection and safety products, including the Pénélope airbag and helmet, while accelerating the development of leather goods, with a focus beyond the equestrian world. This expansion of the Pénélope brand outside its original universe is particularly exciting