The 2015 Hampton Classic Boutique Contest Winners

Boats, cars, shoes, art, jewelry, home goods, handbags, clothing, gifts, anything and everything you can think about buying is on site at the Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton, New York. The “Boutique Garden” is just that, a place for riders and spectators to come together in the central part of the showgrounds for a walk through the some of the most exciting shopping experiences on the east coast. “There is something for everyone. Unique merchandise surrounds the garden for all ages, all sizes, and all interests,” explains Ashley C. Cline of Equestrianstylist.com.

The judges for the 2015 Hampton Classic Boutique Contest were Ashley Cline of EquestrianStylist.com, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. “It was an extremely difficult decision this year to chose the winners with so many different types of vendors. Mary-Kate and Ashley have a strong retail and fashion background, so we were able to come together and decide on our three favorites after discussing the boutiques with the best merchandising strategies.”

Booth Contest - McMillen Photo — Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Cline judging the 2015 Boutique Contest at the Hampton Classic. Photo: Shawn McMillen ’15

With a short discussion over the top choices from Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s team and Ashley Cline of EquestrianStylist, the awards were decided as follows:

1) Galet

Booth Contest III -McMillen Photo — Ashley Cline and Mary Kate Olsen presenting the first place prize to Galet at the 2015 Hampton Classic. Photo: Shawn McMillen

With its orange vintage Citroen truck blazing the way, the French shoemaker Galet was named the outstanding boutique among the more than 70 boutiques on display at the 40th annual Hampton Classic.

“The Citroen is very French and very iconic. We’re a French shoe brand, and we do very iconic shoes, so we thought this truck was a great way to represent us here in the United States, ” said

Jonathan Horemans, one of the company’s owners.

Why is it orange? “Frank Sinatra said that ‘orange is the happiest color,’ and so we thought that the orange really represented the fun vibe we’re trying to create. It brings a smile to people’s faces,” said Horemans. “So we use a lot of orange in our branding.”

The shoes Galet sells are men’s shoes, designed and made in France. “I describe it as a very comfortable, lightweight loafer. They’re all rubber-soled, with either leather, canvas or cowhide uppers. The canvas ones are machine-washable. They’re great shoes for the weekend. Many people would call them ‘boyfriend shoes.'”

Galet shoes all have the same shape and same rubber sole. They range in price from $175, with an average price of $250. The cowhide shoes are the most expensive, at $295.

Second place went to…

2) Hermès

11942325_10152937503706739_3690080238016931220_o — Photo courtesy of EquestrianStylist.com

Hermes2 — Hermès at the 2015 Hampton Classic. Photo courtesy of EquestrianStylist.com

The way really make a boutique stand out is by merchandising cleanly and brining in a nice bright pop of color. The Hamptons is fun, fresh, and natural. All three boutiques chosen in the contest exhibited these qualities. Hermès did a great job of combining the equestrian lifestyle and fashion elements from the tack display to the apparel and accessories. Fantastic job, Hermès.

Third place went to…

3) Ghurka

11893866_10152937503846739_832254425123807158_o — Photo courtesy of EquestrianStylist.com

The Ghurka boutique is reminiscent of great expeditions with a natural-chic traditional modern vibe. Immediately when entering the boutique, the smell fresh leather goods and American White Oak encompasses the booth. The sunflowers as the table top display were a lovely touch to pull in a bit of color. Well done, Ghurka.

“It’s is real treat to get to experience the Hampton Classic for a week in one of the most special places in the Summertime. We were thrilled to be a judge the 2015 Boutique Contest and can’t wait for next year already!”

More About the Classic

The Hampton Classic, the prestigious culminating event of the Hamptons’ famed summer season, runs August 23-30 in Bridgehampton, NY, hosting its 40th year of world-class equestrian competition. Many of the world’s top jumper and hunter riders come from across the country and beyond to compete for their share of some of the richest prize money in the nation.

The Hampton Classic features six show rings, a Boutique Garden with more than 70 vendors, and a wide selection of dining options and a Farmer’s Market, all on its 60-acre show grounds. With its top competition and pristine setting, The Hampton Classic is not just a place to see, it’s also a place to be seen. Just in the last two years, A-list celebrities such as Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Matt Lauer, Kelly Ripa, Julianne Moore, Sofia Vergara and Mary-Kate Olsen have been in attendance.

The Hampton Classic hosts more than 100 classes of competition for horses and riders of all ages and abilities. A wide range of hunter, jumper and equitation classes are offered from leadline classes all the way up to the grand prix level. The Classic also has classes for riders with disabilities. The Classic culminates on Sunday, August 30, “Grand Prix Sunday,” with an impressive schedule of classes including three finals – the $30,000 7-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship Finals, the $25,000 Campbell Stables Show Jumping Derby, and the $250,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix Presented by LONGINES – in the Grand Prix Ring, as well as the $10,000 Hermès Hunter Classic in the Anne Aspinall Ring.

Further information on the Hampton Classic Horse Show is available at the Hampton Classic website at www.hamptonclassic.com.