Forget that Devoucoux saddle you’ve been lusting after – this is what the best-dressed horse is wearing this season.
The winged saddle, by luxury brand Herm ¨s, is the one of the centerpieces of an exhibition marking its 175th year.
Perhaps better known these days for its silk scarves and coveted bags, Herm ¨s was actually founded as a house of master harness and saddle-making, with the horse “its first client”.
Fiona Rushton of Herm ¨s said the show, in west London, “celebrated the company’s relationship with leather“.
“The winged saddle was made for an album cover for a rock band, but we do a comprehensive equestrian range,” she added.
A hoofpick in a leather Herm ¨s pouch will set you back £175. Saddle soap stamped with the Herm ¨s logo is £25, while saddles start at around £4,000.
And after that, the Devoucoux saddle will seem a bargain.
Leather Forever runs from 8-27 May at 6 Burlington Gardens, W1. Entry is free. The Herm ¨s store is five minutes away at 160 New Bond Street.
This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (19 April 2012)
