It started with the thermal skirt
It all started with Uhip's thermal skirt for riders, which was launched as a completely new functional garment for riding in the fall of 2011. Uhip's thermal skirt quickly earned the name “Riding Skirt” among riders and was unique in its kind as you could ride in it and keep warm in the saddle without sacrificing the fact of riding in riding pants. The uniqueness of Uhip's riding skirt was the front and back zippers unlike others on the market that had the zippers on the side. The unique design was protected by the Swedish Patent and Registration Office and the European equivalent.
The journey began in the hallway at home
In the fall of 2010, I came up with the idea of a riding and thermal skirt that would allow riders to ride in riding pants in the winter and let the sides of the skirt hang down and warm the exposed thighs in the saddle.
The inspiration came from the then already launched side zippered thermal skirt. I had just received the skirt from my husband and when I stood in the mirror and tried it on, I happened to turn the skirt so that the zippers came to the front and back instead of the side and then saw in front of me that it was quite possible to ride in the skirt.
An idea was born - an idea too good to let go
The idea lay dormant for a few months but it was too good to let it go to waste. No sooner said than done, I sewed up a prototype (I've been sewing all my life) and went to the stables to try it out while my husband took photos of me on horseback. Wow, it worked!
The Patent & Registration Office was contacted for design protection of the idea and after a few adjustments the unique design of the skirt was protected. During the summer of 2011, a sewing supplier in China and one in the UAE were selected to produce a sample. The UAE supplier was chosen and production started at full speed with the first delivery in November 2011.
Jackets with \"hand warmers\" was next up
In parallel, a jacket was developed, a jacket with special cuffs for riders, cuffs with a fold-down hand warmer that could be folded down and warm frozen riding fingers and hands. The cuff or hand warmer was also design protected. The third major product became the bestseller of the day, the long coat with a high slit at the back. A coat that kept you warm regardless of activity but without sacrificing stylish design.
Smart features and carefully selected materials
The inspiration for the materials came from the outdoor industry, where knowledge and technology were ahead of the horse industry in terms of manufacturing garments for harsh environments with moisture, wet and cold. What we added were smart features that would make stable life easier so you weren't limited by either mobility or cold. Riders would simply be able to do what they love most in outerwear made from good, purposeful materials and smart features.
Explosion on Facebook and highlighted in media
Marketing was started with Facebook and the collection of e-mail addresses. The first delivery came home just in time for the horse competitions in Stockholm “Globen Horse Show” (at the time Friends Arena did not exist) and the interest was enormous.
The number of followers on social media exploded and the equestrian media wrote extensively about the new, different and smart product.
A new entrepreneurial company had been born.