From saddlery, leatherware through to silk and jewelry the House of Guibert gives body, season after season, to the equestrian lifestyle à la française. Pierre Guibert, an impassioned rider, established his saddlery from the beginning as one of total French excellence. This quest for perfection in the world of horse riding requires that each step in the design of products and the craft of leather is destined for a similarly passionate clientele. Alongside its own brand, Guibert offers a selection from other specialists in the field.
Flyinghorse has met Pierre for an empathic chat in his beautiful boutique saddlery at 22 Avenue Victor Hugo, two steps away from the Arc de Triomphe.
Who is Pierre Guibert and what brought him to open his saddlery in 1999 in a very competitive French market?
I am a passionate horse rider and my goal was to have the best of the tradition and the modernity. A return to excellence, which is the original goal of the saddler in terms of materials and quality of manufacturing. The concept of modernity helps us since the beginning to pay attention to the comfort of the horse, the feeling between horse and rider, the harmony between them. Our achievement is a very technical luxury product.
How did this passion arise?
I come from a family of riders and it all began with a pony when I was child. As it often happens, I stopped when I was a teenager and by chance at 23 a friend invited me to a hike outside in Deauville. 10 seconds after I mounted to the saddle the passion was back. It was the same feeling of my childhood and I decided never to miss it again.
Tell us about your horses. Where are they stabled?
My horse Satin is stabled in the beautiful Etrier de Paris. He’s 10 years old, charming and a bit sensitive. The Etrier de Paris is in the heart of Bois de Boulogne, 10 minutes from my home and my office close to the Arc de Triomphe. It enables me to ride every morning at 7:30 as if I live in the countryside. My previous horse, July 19 years old, a very pleasant mix of dominant horse and good guy, is now retired in Normandy, 1 hour from Paris. He has a very pleasant life: grass during the day, stable at night.
Equestrian lifestyle à la française, what does it stand for?
To me it is a very French mix between quality, purity of design and functionality.
What’s your on duty equestrian look and what do our wear at shows?
My bag, a Fontes bag in black leather. Inspired by the Fontes saddle bag, it is an authentic Guibert Paris product: natural raw materials as our saddle leather, purity of design, timeless style and functionality. Saying that, we are born as saddler, so our world turns around the leather, the saddler knowledge and of course horses and riding. Starting from this point all-upcoming developments are very logical and include beautiful leather goods.
If you had to choose one Maison Guibert product to bring on a desert island, which one would it be?
My bag, a Fontes bag in black leather. Inspired by the Fontes saddle bag, it is an authentic Guibert Paris product: natural raw materials as our saddle leather, purity of design, timeless style and functionality. Saying that, we are born as saddler, so our world turns around the leather, the saddler knowledge and of course horses and riding. Starting from this point all-upcoming developments are very logical and include beautiful leather goods
How did the collaboration with Ginette Paris start?
The same showroom in New York City represents Maison Guibert andGinette NY.. This is where Frédérique Dessemond, the very talented designer of Ginette NY, discovered our universe few years ago. She immediately fell in love with our timeless designs, saddler knowledge and products. Some were surprised by the encounter of our contrasting realities: on the one hand a very trendy brand and on the other a luxury saddler. But Frédérique Dessemond immediately understood the power and the strength of saddler design and knowledge, she pays a lot of attention to respect them and bring a touch of fantasy to our timeless products. Indeed, the collaboration was born in a very natural and easy way.
Who is the Maison Guibert Customer?
We are lucky enough to have an international clientele. Our Avenue Victor Hugo Boutique is situated in a very fashionable neighborhood where equestrians meet non-riders because they love our universe, our luxurious natural & soft leather and our timeless design. They come from France and the 5 continents: North and South America, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Australia and Africa. We are very proud to represent one of the international equestrian benchmarks and our online universe and communication certainly helps us to showcase our world.
Quarter maker collection
The quarter markers are geometrical symbols of military origin designed on the hindquarters of the horse by stencils through which the hair, smooth or brushed against the natural way, gives rise to an alternating brightness against a mat appearance and thus forming a required motif.
Appearing in the XVI century its goal was to impress opposing regiments – the embellishment of the hindquarters in such a way served as an illusion as to the true state
