The equestrian industry is a unique community in the fact that it is chock full of successful businesswomen. In a world where top business executives are dominated by men, it is so refreshing to see these women take an idea, create a plan, and then run thriving companies!
One such businesswoman is Hannah Childs, who heads Hannah Childs Lifestyle, a clothing company dedicated to providing equestrian sport-to-street styles that fit in at the barn and out on the town. Hannah herself said it best in the company’s mission statement that their goal is, “to empower women to live in purpose through thoughtful design and responsible business”. I had the chance to talk with Hannah and learn more about her background and just how she goes about empowering others!
Hannah’s story begins much like the rest of ours do…with a horse (of course). A California native, she started riding at the age of five and never looked back! Soon focusing on 3-Day Eventing and working up to the Intermediate level with her Thoroughbred, Harry Potter! Harry is now 26, and he and Hannah are still close partners who spend most of their time trail riding together.
Hannah’s desire to work in fashion came while watching the first season of “Project Runway”. She saw the designers creating such incredible pieces and knew that’s what she wanted to do too. She began working in the fashion industry when she was 16, learning everything she could while crafting the dream to have her own equestrian fashion line in the future. Hannah attended the prestigious Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and then spent some time as a designer for UGG before slowly making her dream a reality.
What started out as “side hustle” in Hannah’s mid 20’s designing and creating stock ties for her eventer friends, soon evolved into the creation of Hannah’s first company, Style Stock. 6 short years later, she launched the Hannah Childs Lifestyle brand we know today.
Now it is the home to a collection of functional activewear that easily transitions from sport to street and can be mixed and matched to build a continuously growing wardrobe. The aesthetic behind the line can easily be traced back to Hannah’s own tastes. She describes her personal equestrian fashion to be athletic in nature while still being comfy and stylish. You’ll typically find her in a pair of Ego 7 breeches, paired with a Hannah shirt and belt! And what are her favorite pieces from the collection you ask? She loves the brand new Shannon and Janelle shirts from this season, as well as cozying up in the Kristina Poncho during the colder months! (I LOVE the Kristina Poncho too!! Look below to see me taking it for a spin last fall!)
The basis behind the Hannah Childs Lifestyle brand is simple; create clothing items that empower women and help them feel beautiful. And Hannah does that ten-fold, not only through her thoughtful designs for equestrians, golfers, and tennis players but also with the message that she folds into each and every one of her business practices. The most notable method is that she tries incredibly hard to source from other socially responsible companies - fair labor and trade is a MUST!
And what’s next for Hannah? In the light of the world’s current climate, she’s focusing on her company’s brand and developing a community around it. She’s working on growing a community of women to inspire and support each other to follow their dreams and make the world a better place. We are so excited to be involved with such an incredible businesswoman, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future!
Shop the entire Hannah Childs collection to feel the empowerment in each piece!
