I have been lucky enough to grow up with horses and to work and ride in many different disciplines.
I started riding at the age of 4 and learnt alongside my elder brother and mum at The Veryan Riding Center, in a nearby village in Cornwall. It was here that my passion for riding grew. At the age of 11, my grandmother bought me my first horse Oliver and from this day onwards I always had horses.
During my years riding and working with horses, I have battled against the elements like every other horse owner. I suffered with chilblains on my thighs for years and years and never found a solution to combat them.
I wanted to create a product that would keep us and our horses warm and dry.
I trained in equine management and completed my BHS stage exams, AI & ABRS teaching qualifications and then studied and qualified as a Parelli natural horsemanship instructor; working alongside these studies as an event groom, riding school instructor, and a freelance coach traveling around the UK.
Over the many years working with horses, I have gained a good idea of what this skirt needs to be –
durable, waterproof, warm, comfortable, and easy to use.
In 2014, I was involved in a horse accident and was critically injured. It was in this period I decided to retrain and study traditional upholstery and this was where my love for sewing and fabrics developed.
In the autumn of 2017 Nouvelle Habit was born and I began learning and creating the first prototypes, but it wasn’t until 2020 that I took the leap and officially launched Nouvelle Habit.
During that first year I sadly lost both my horses and for the first time since I was a child I was without a horse, as you can imagine I was lost. So I decided to get a puppy, Along came Hector. Hector was intended to be a working dog and I had grand plans of getting into ladies shooting and working dog clubs, however we soon found out Hector was blind.
This didn’t stop us from getting outdoors and exploring the english countryside.
I soon realised that I had a strong dislike to waterproof trousers and that I needed an alternative, so I set to designing the Waxed cotton Walking skirt which launched in 2022.
I run my business from my home, cutting every pattern by hand and individually sewing each skirt. I use traditional bone buttons and 100% real leather buckles that are designed and handmade by myself. Each skirt has its own unique character; you can even have one made bespoke just for you!