A story
In 1897, several rulers of India’s princely states were invited to Britain to participate in Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. One of them, Sir Pratap Singh – the Regent of Jodhpur – brought his polo team with him. They caused quite a stir. It wasn’t just that they won most of their matches. It was that when they won, they won in style.
Flared at the hip and tight round the calve, the unique cut of their riding trousers had never been seen before. Soon, cavalry regiments, then Hollywood stars and the fashion world co-opted the ‘jodhpur’, with Coco Chanel arguably their most influential admirer.
For perhaps the first time, sportswear became streetwear… and so it was until the 1950s. But then the introduction of synthetic, stretchable fabrics changed jodhpurs forever – and fashion moved on.
Before long, that uniquely elegant shape would be forgotten. Until now.