French artisan saddles up at Harrod’s

PARIS, Aug 23 (AFP) – French saddle designer Pierre Guibert on Monday opened a sleek boutique in London’s famed department store Harrod’s, hoping to woo up-market British riders with his Parisian savoir-faire.

The opening of Guibert’s 30-square-metre (320 square feet) shop, on the fifth floor in the sporting section alongside major international brands, is seen as a daring move in a country known for its passionate yet fussy riders.

Built with clean lines and fine woods, the store-within-a-store features Guibert’s designs in saddles, riding crops, bridles and other equestrian leather accessories.

The 35-year-old designer told AFP his big break with Harrod’s came after a chance meeting in April with a close collaborator of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed, who owns the posh store in London’s Knightsbridge district.

A rider and a fan of horse racing, Guibert opened a store in Paris on the prestigious Avenue Victor Hugo near the Arc de Triomphe in 1999, aiming to lure a high-end clientele looking for fine leather goods and impeccable style.

The Harrod’s spot is not the Frenchman’s first brush with high fashion. He recently collaborated with Chanel for the presentation of one of the fabled French house’s collection.