A unique creative collaboration for equestrian apparel, designed for horse girls, yes, but also for the ocean, beach, and dolphin lovers.
Kate from @MyPilabraEquestrianlife brought me the dream she had for creating a coastal equestrian apparel brand to life — created for people who love horses, the ocean, surfing, bareback beach rides, and everything in between.
Her personal brand centers her incredibly dream-like world of swimming with her horse on the Australian coast, with pods of dolphins swimming alongside and greeting them like old friends. It’s so magical and straight out of every little horse girl’s fantasy.
How It Started
When Kate reached out, she wasn’t just looking for a logo… she had a vision for something bigger than her. Something bridged niches and broke tradition– equestrian apparel for ocean lovers.
Living in remote coastal Australia, her life blends horseback rides along the beach, ocean swims, salty air, and the kind of laid-back lifestyle that’s hard to fake. She wanted a brand that reflected that 90’s aesthetic, a nod to when times felt simpler, not polished, trendy, just real.
Together, we crafted a strong foundation through logo, brand and t-shirt design.
The Brand Design Process
We began the project the way I like to start any branding collaboration, with conversation. I love hearing someone talk about their work, as I find hidden gems in their words and their energy that sometimes they are not even aware of.
We talked about her audience, what inspires her, the feel she wanted the brand to give off. Kate brought tons of visual references — retro surf designs, vibrant color palettes and patterns.
What We Focused On:
- Vibrant yet natural tones (think perfect pastel sunset)
- Clean typography (simple, soft-edged fonts that feel approachable yet bold)
- Minimal logo design (something simple and organic, not overdone)
The EquiClub logo we landed on focused on the waves, ocean, and sun as much as it did the horse and rider galloping free.
Below is the Brand Board.
You can read about my process for Logo Designs here.
Equestrian Apparel Designed For Comfort
The t-shirt designs and other apparel needed to feel like something you’d throw on after a beach ride, or wear out feeding horses at sunset. Effortless. Not overthought. Comfortable, breathable, and well crafted.
We designed an illustrated that gave the perfect “Horse Girl Summer” nostalgic vibe she was looking for. This can be found on various t shirt colors and styles– regular comfy tees and crop tops, hoodies, crewnecks and more. She was adamant that she didn’t want the “traditional equestrian apparel” and wanted something she actually would WANT to wear, something that didn’t cling in the Aussie heat, something that she could throw on over her swimsuit.
What I appreciated most was Kate’s clarity. She knew her audience because she knows her herself– an equestrian who doesn’t feel represented by traditional brands, who live barefoot and free, sandy salty hair, and off the beaten path.
What the Collaboration Looked Like
Working with Kate was amazing, as she was clear in what she envisioned and gave solid feedback, so even when I didn’t ‘see’ it sometimes, she was able to direct me! For any designer reading this: clients like her are gold.
And for brands: choosing the right designer (someone who listens and digs deeper than “just make it pretty” and copying from trends) is what turns a nice idea into a strong, lasting brand. It’s authentic and it has come from a truly intentional place.
Supporting Each Other’s Brands
EquiClub wasn’t just a win for Kate, our collaboration is allowing other like minded people back to me as well. Full circle.
Kate’s brand continues to grow on Instagram and through her shop at equiclub.shop, and everytime I see someone post in an EquiClub hoodie or tee, I’m reminded of why I do what I do and how grateful I am to work with such incredible, inspiring people!
Equestrian Apparel for the beachy horse girls:
- Explore EquiClub’s collection → equiclub.shop
- Follow Kate’s journey → @MyPilabraEquestrianlife
- Work with me on your brand design → [Learn more About Equine Logo Designs]
