From horse harness to high fashion

05.09.2013 10:56

Horses are a frequent logo motif of famous companies. A mighty stallion, as well as any part of horse harness, is a symbol of stability, quality, strength and power.

Gucci (Italy)

The fashion house Gucci is an Italian brand of clothing and leather goods founded by Guccio Gucci (1881-1953) in Florence in 1921. When Guccio was 23 years, he opened his own studio to manufacture horse harness which he called the House of Gucci.

It did not last for long. The young man left the country. In 1921, Gucci returned to Italy and married. Using the 30 thousand lire earned in England, he again opened the studio and a year later - a shop where he was selling his products: harnesses, clothing for jockeys, suitcases. All this was made from leather of the highest quality with the elegance typical of medieval masters. The best European riders preferred to perform in the attires from Gucci and soon the company became known across Europe. The Gucci family had six children. Grown sons: Aldo, Ugo, Vasco and Rodolfo helped his father at work. In 1933, the elder son Aldo came up with the logo of two interwoven letters (G).

Hermes (France)

The Hermes fashion house is one of the most famous and the oldest in Paris. The company history began with a manufacture producing bridles, saddles and saddlery, founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermes. The quality of the products was exceptional - the company’s main clients included royal families. Later, the company began to specialize in creating clothes, accessories, perfume and other luxury goods, thereby taking a prominent place in the world of high fashion. The world-famous logo of the Hermes brand reminds us of the company’s historical beginnings and represents a horse with a cart.

Burberry (England)

The story of the legendary brand Burberry started in 1856 in Hampshire. It was there where Thomas Burberry, 21, opened his first store selling ready-to-wear clothes. Already in 1879, he developed a technology for making special waterproof material which would be known as 'gabardine' and quickly gained popularity among tourists and athletes.

In 1901, Thomas Burberry got a large order from the Military Ministry to develop the uniform for officers. At that time, it became necessary to put branding on the uniforms. The Burberry emblem - Equestrian Knight representing a knight in armor with a spear in hand against the background of the flag with the inscription Prorsum was registered as a trademark for the brand. The knight's costume was a copy of the original. The Latin word "Prorsum" is used in heraldry as a motto which means "forward" and reflects the aspiration of the company for progressive innovations, and the spear is a symbol of protection.

Levis (USA)

In 1853, the inventor of jeans, Lob Strauss (changed his name to Levi Strauss), with the help of his cousin opened his small shop which was selling unusual pants of his own invention. Almost immediately, he replaced canvas cloth with a soft one which he brought from the French city of Nimes. Hence appeared the name "denim" which literally translates “from Nimes". Later, in 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis, a tailor of the Latvian origin, patented denim pants with metal studs which resembled modern jeans very much.

In 1886, the company's famous logo appeared. It depicts two horses trying to break a pair of jeans. According to the legend, this logo appeared after the sensational stories about a train machinist who tied two carriages together with a pair of jeans and successfully got to the intended station. The logo became the embodiment of strength of the pants made of denim.

Based on materials of www.brandpedia.ru and fashion Encyclopedia www.wiki.wildberries.ru.

Author: Edition