About Odette, Founder of Nouvelle Habit

I started riding at the age of 4 encouraged by my Grandfather Garth, who loved horses and owned a few Race horses in London.
I learnt alongside my elder brother, Toby and mum, Andrea 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, Deb bought me my first horse, Oliver and from that day onwards I always had horses in my life.

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 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.

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, with 'The Original Moorland' Riding skirt being my first product.
Over the many years working with horses and working outdoors, I have gained a good idea of what was needed from my garments – durable, waterproof, warm, comfortable, and easy to use.
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, and along with this came the inspiration for The Country Collection which launched in 2022 with 'The Compass' designed for long strolls in the British countryside.

I run my business from my home in Devon, cutting every pattern by hand and individually sewing each skirt. Each skirt has its own unique character; you can even have one made bespoke just for you.
This is a modern twist on an old classic