Be A Designer, Gallarate. Equestrian clothing for brands and riding schools.
Equestrian clothing, made to a high standard.
Polo shirts, technical T-shirts, sweatshirts, waistcoats and softshell jackets for your equestrian brand or riding school. Fabrics and fits chosen for those who really ride.
12 years in the Made in Italy supply chainOver 200 people supported in launching their brandTrustpilot 4.2/5, every review is 5 stars
In brief.
Be A Designer is a design studio based in Gallarate (Varese) which has been developing and manufacturing sportswear for brands and companies for 12 years. For equestrian sports, it develops capsule collections for equestrian brands and logo-branded garments for riding schools, equestrian clubs and stables: polo shirts, technical T-shirts, sweatshirts, waistcoats and softshell jackets, with fabrics selected prior to prototyping. As a guide to fabric and manufacturing costs, a technical T-shirt costs €10–18, a technical sweatshirt €22–42 and a softshell jacket €45–90. More technical garments, such as riding breeches and competition jackets, are assessed on a project-by-project basis and quoted on a pro forma basis.
Service details Equestrian clothing
- Who
- Be A Designer, Gallarate (VA)
- What
- Polo shirts, technical T-shirts, sweatshirts, waistcoats and softshell jackets
- Technical managers
- Riding breeches and competition jackets made to order
- Minimums
- Around 50 items per style, around 10 per size
- Customisation
- Embroidery, labels, graphics and packaging
- Who it's for
- Equestrian brands, riding schools, equestrian clubs and stables
In the saddle and in the stables.
Riders look for garments that move with the body, can withstand the dust of the stables and look good off the course too. Equestrian style is classic, and it’s the details that make all the difference.
Polo shirts and technical T-shirts
Breathable and stretchy fabrics for training, featuring the brand’s or riding school’s logo embroidered on them.
Layering and outerwear
Technical hoodies, waistcoats and softshell jackets for days at the stables and chilly mornings.
Technical riding gear
Riding breeches and competition jackets: these are assessed on a project-by-project basis, in collaboration with specialist workshops.
For your brand or your riding school.
An equestrian brand sells to all riders, whilst a riding school provides clothing for instructors and pupils. These are two different projects, and we’ll explore this together during our first call.
Equestrian brand
A capsule collection developed from scratch, with a focus on fabric selection and fit, for a brand seeking to establish its own signature product in the world of equestrianism.
Riding school, riding club and stables
Logoed clothing for instructors, staff and pupils, personalised with embroidery and labels, to be worn or sold in the clubhouse.
In both cases, research into fabrics, finishes and small details is carried out before the prototype is produced. In equestrianism, that is what determines whether a garment lasts one season or ten.
A short and transparent supply chain.
Technical T-shirts, sweatshirts and softshell jackets are manufactured in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate. For more technical garments, such as riding trousers or competition jackets, the workshop is chosen on a project-by-project basis, and we’ll let you know which one before we start.
Be A Designer doesn’t just handle production. We only undertake pure contract manufacturing for VAT-registered individuals and established companies. Those starting from scratch go through the full programme: it’s the safest way to avoid spending money on production before knowing what to sell, to whom and at what price.
Prototypes and production stay close: we go to the workshop instead of sending emails.
From idea to product, in six stages.
The complete Be A Designer programme. If you already have a collection and suppliers, we’ll start with the stage that suits your needs.
Strategy
Who the brand is for, who it competes with, and the price at which it stands up.
Collection
A carefully planned capsule, not an endless catalogue.
Materials
Fabrics, leathers, trims, small fittings and buttons selected before the prototype is made.
Prototype
The garment becomes real: it is tried on, corrected and approved.
Production
In the short supply chain within 30 km of Gallarate, with quality control.
Launch
Content, e-commerce and distribution: a brand only sells when people know it exists.
Why Be A Designer and not just any manufacturer.
| Generic manufacturer | Be A Designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A catalogue featuring your logo. | Your brand or your riding school, and the people who wear the clothes. |
| Materials | The cheapest fabric available. | Breathable, stretchy and durable fabrics, selected before the prototype was made. |
| Transparency | You don’t always know where it’s made. | We’ll tell you first where each garment is made. |
| Quantity | High minimums, a warehouse full of stock. | Carefully curated capsule collections of around 50 pieces per design. |
| After production | You get the garments; the rest is your problem. | Content, e-commerce and launch – all handled by the same team. |
How much does an Equestre capsule cost?
These are indicative unit costs per garment, including fabric and manufacture, for small batches. Technical cycling garments are quoted on a case-by-case basis, once the fabrics and finishes have been selected.
| Item | Approximate cost | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Technical T-shirt | €10–18 | Fabric €3–6 plus packaging €5–10 |
| Technical sweatshirt | €22–42 | Fabric €8–15 plus packaging €12–22 |
| Softshell jacket | €45–90 | Fabric €15–30 plus packaging €25–50 |
| Polo shirts and waistcoats | subject to a quotation | Fabric, padding and finishes |
| Riding trousers | subject to a quotation | Technical fabric, reinforcements and grip |
| Competition jacket | subject to a quotation | Fabric, construction and finishes |
| Logo embroidery | +5–6 € each | Plus a one-off installation charge of €25–60 |
| Prototype | around €80, €250 including the pattern | Always preceded by research into fabrics, finishes and trims |
The indicative minimum is around 50 items per model, i.e. around 10 per size. For a brand, the retail price is generally between 3 and 4 times the production cost.
Frequently asked questions.
Yes. Be A Designer develops capsule collections of equestrian clothing for brands: polo shirts, technical T-shirts, sweatshirts, waistcoats and softshell jackets, with fabric research carried out prior to prototyping. More technical garments, such as riding breeches and competition jackets, are assessed on a project-by-project basis.
Yes. For riding schools, equestrian clubs and stables, we produce garments featuring the logo for instructors, staff and pupils, personalised with embroidery, labels and packaging.
A realistic figure is around 50 items per model, i.e. around 10 items per size. For technical cycling garments, the minimum quantity is specified in the quotation.
As a rough guide to the cost of fabric and tailoring, a technical T-shirt costs €10–18, a technical sweatshirt €22–42 and a softshell jacket €45–90. Polo shirts, waistcoats, riding breeches and competition jackets are quoted on a case-by-case basis.
Technical T-shirts, sweatshirts and softshell jackets are manufactured in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate. For the more technical garments, the workshop is selected on a project-by-project basis, and Be A Designer states this before the project begins.
No. Be A Designer specialises in clothing for riders, staff and brands. Saddles, tack and safety gear require specialist manufacturers and are not included in the service.
What else do we do for brands?
Let’s talk about your equestrian capsule collection.
A free call to help you work out where to start, the timeframe involved and the budget required. No obligation.
Or write to [email protected]