“In the pursuit of excellence, one must always stay in the saddle, for it's not the gallop, but the grace with which we ride that defines us.”
So, what does it mean to carry weight with grace?
For SS26, HELIOT EMIL presents EQUINE, a collection drafted from the elegance, anatomy, and cultural significance of the horse. Not just an animal, but a salient symbol of human history: revered in mythology and weaponized in war.
The horse has always carried weight, physically and culturally. Before machines, there were horses. Instruments of progress and power. To ride was to rule. But behind this rigid concept of discipline there’s something more special, something intimate: the relationship between the horse and the one who rides it.
There’s something ceremonial to this collection. EQUINE is about ritual. About the way horses have been adorned, disciplined, dressed, not for vanity, but for function. The collection reinterprets equestrian hardware, like bits, clasps, buckles, as integrated utility. A subtle nod to the uniformity of riding wear with tailored silhouettes, harness elements, and fastenings that recall bridlework.
There’s also a deep anatomical reference running throughout. It’s found in the colors that resemble the mane, or in the structured outerwear that evokes the torso and bone structure of the animal.
EQUINE is not a costume. It’s not a romanticized vision of the countryside, nor a new take on equestrian gear. It’s a celebration of the horse as an emblem of strength, work and spirit.