A Stroud-based men's equestrian clothing brand has been given a kick start after securing £20,000. Wolf London was established by Andre Gardiner - a keen eventer and show jumper - in 2022 after he found it difficult to obtain affordable clothing for horse riding. The 30-year-old, who was introduced to horses by his mum at the age of three, felt the market was "restricted" for men.
"[It] had quite traditional types of clothing and hadn’t received the same level of investment as the female sector," he said. "At most events and competitions, there were rarely men’s products on display at all.” During the Covid pandemic, Mr Gardiner decided he had to do something about it.
He said: “Wolf London is the culmination of a 15-year dream to tackle the gap in the men’s equestrian clothing market. I wanted to enhance the diversity of products on offer by combining designer fashion with equestrian wear, so they were suitable for the twenty-first century.” Andre received a Start Up Loan from the via business support partner X-Forces Enterprise as one of his parents served in the military.
He used the funds to manufacture stock, build out a storeroom, commission photography and design signature shipping boxes. "The Start Up Loan programme didn’t just provide money to help me get started, but it also offered support through a business mentor which was invaluable for me," he said. Mr Gardiner continues to run Wolf London in his spare time - when he is not working as a project m.
