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After graduating college and moving to New York City to pursue careers in venture capital and documentary filmmaking, respectively, Andrea Hippeau Vogel and Dana Schwartz were determined not to quit their lifelong passion for horse riding. Frustrated at the lack of equestrian clothing that could take them from street to stables, they conceived of the idea for Free x Rein, a direct to consumer “equleisure” line that would also address female riders’ biggest pain points — shirts that come untucked, waistbands that gape, and the need to wear Spanx beneath second-skin breeches. The result: a range of body suits and riding pants that easily double as stylish, figure-flattering streetwear. Seven months later, Free x Rein, which is entirely manufactured in NYC of globally sourced high-tech, performance and sustainable fabrics, has proven so successful that both cofounders have quit their day jobs to pursue their passion full-time.
Coghlan: So is “equleisure” a thing — are your customers both equestrians and non-riders?
Vogel: We’ve been overwhelmed with the interest in equestrian style! Our clients have been pretty evenly split between equestrians and everyday woman. While we always believed our clothes would be great as streetwear, it’s been so validating to see so many women rocking our Signature Ponte pants in everyday life. We hear from so many women who love the look but have been too intimidated to try it in the past because they feel like they’re wearing a costume. It’s also been amazing to hear so many stories about how horses have touched women’s lives even if they don’t ride.
Coghlan: Seven months in, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
Schwartz: We’ve learned that the real work starts after you launch your business, and you have to be extremely flexible and willing to change your plan once launched. After our first pop-up event, we realized that our customers really needed to feel the difference in material, compared to what’s currently on the market, and try on the pieces to see for themselves just how flattering they are. We know our demographic can take a while to warm up to a new brand, but we didn’t anticipate how major the difference would be when women could meet us and try everything on. As a result, we’ve shifted our strategy and goals by planning more long-term pop-ups. We’ll be in Southampton, NY, for the entire month of August and we’ll spend the winter season in Wellington/Palm Beach, Florida!
Coghlan: Did you experience resistance as a disrupter in a very established, traditional industry?
Vogel: Overall we’ve received a very positive welcome from the equestrian community. As with introducing anything innovative, we had to be very specific and detailed with sharing the information about the bodysuit — equestrians are very traditional with their uniform so it takes a lot of trust for them to try the bodysuit. But when they do, they’ve given us incredible feedback.
Schwartz: Definitely the importance of working with the right people, and once you find those people, delegating. We’ve also learned to recognize that we don’t know what we don’t know, and the importance of finding mentors and advisors who can lend their expertise and advice — we have a few informal advisors and are looking to build out our advisory board. At the same time, we’ve learned that you can go out and gather data and advice, but a lot of the decisions have to come from your gut . At the end of the day, we have to trust our instincts and be confident in our choices. You can’t look back when you’re starting a business, and decisions have to be made quickly, so you must believe in yourself. Another lesson we’ve learned is to always say yes. Sometimes an opportunity or an introduction doesn’t seem like it makes sense but you never know what doors it will open. When you’re starting a business, you cannot afford to say no.
Vogel: If you have a problem or see a problem in your daily life, others have it too! We never thought we could start a clothing brand given that neither of us had any fashion, retail or manufacturing experience, but if you believe in yourself and your idea enough, you can make anything happen. Don’t give up and never take no for an answer.
Coghlan: Do you still find time to ride?
Schwartz: We both ride and compete on a consistent basis, which both helps with work-life balance but is also integral to our brand. Being active members of the equestrian community, we’re always thinking of ways to improve and redefine the FXR design so that our pieces best suit women who are on the go, whether they’re riding or going to the office or picking up the kids!
Coghlan: What’s next for the brand?
Vogel: We’ve just launched our first leather accessory, which is an equestrian-inspired hip bag that’s functional for riding as well as a statement for city life. We want to continue to work on other pieces, such as blazers and other types of outerwear to complete the look for all seasons and occasions.
