Missing a train from New York to Connecticut just might have turned out to be a lucky mishap for Colleen Litof, founder of EquiCouture.^TM “I walked into a fabric shop to pass the time until I could get the next train, and it hit me that show horses would look incredible in the fabrics that were on display.” Colleen explains, “Up here in Connecticut, the only show clothes we have for our horses are wool coolers for winter, and scrims for summer. But spring and fall are times when the temperature is conducive to using dress sheets of cotton or silk. They’re lighter weight than wool, breathable, and available in a virtually limitless selection of colors and patterns. They also make sense for people who live in the South or show in Florida over the wintertime.” The sheets are not as impractical as they might seem. “We recommend dry cleaning, but all the sheets—even the silk ones—can be washed at home in cold water.”

Colleen works with clients to custom design each EquiCouture™ sheet expressly for them. “I made a sheet for Lendon Grey’s dressage pony that was fantastic—it was an iridescent maroon/black with gold Napoleonic bees on it. It suited the pony’s personality perfectly—he had a big neck and a big attitude, and looked like a horse until you got next to him,” Colleen laughs.

For clients who prefer a more subtle profile than the shimmer of silk, EquiCouture™ can make cotton dress sheets. “One of my most popular sheets is a simple cotton check. Another client ordered some plain gray cotton sheets with a lovely plaid lining for a bit of added zing and color,” Colleen explains. All sheets can be finished with plain binding, decorative cording, even ribbons—EquiCouture™ makes a seersucker sheet for ponies with an eye-catching contrasting ribbon trim that has a lot of personality. Pony sheets are also available in madras plaid cotton.

For those who really want a coordinated look for their pets, EquiCouture™ can arrange to have a dog coat made to match the dress sheet. “I have a friend who is an incredible seamstress—she makes the dog coats to match. They are too much—really cute.”

Kevin Babington with Dr. Jennifer Platt's Diago

“I notice in the catalogs that some of the commercial blanket makers are now offering stable sheets and even fly turnouts in a more daring selection of colors and patterns, so maybe the tide of equine fashion is turning,” Colleen notes. “But I like to think that maybe I’m starting a trend, at least in the show world.”

For more information and additional pictures, visit www.equicouture.com. If you’re interested in inquiring about sheets, you can reach Colleen at 203-731-7822.