Here at EQluxe we love supporting small local brands and equestrian start ups. We came across Dressage Queen Dream, a brand right here in Southern California through our social media channel.  Admittedly, I’m not a dressage rider but the purple tones in her collection caught my eye as I’m a sucker for anything purple and the rest is history so to speak. I’m delighted to introduce you to Cariya Breemen and her brand Dressage Queen Dream ( DQD).

BEHIND THE BRAND

Tell us a little bit about your equestrian background and where you currently reside.

Having grown up in Germany, strangely I did not have the horse bug as a kid, but came to horses rather what is considered late in my life in my early 40s. After having lived in New York City, Bombay, India, and Venice, Italy I returned with my husband and our then 2 cats to the US and we decided on L.A. I tried horseback riding and decided that dressage was what I wanted to learn, not quite understanding that I just picked one of the most difficult disciplines when it comes to riding horses.

I went from barely being able to distinguish the front from the back to completely immersing myself into everything horse and dressage: taking courses, reading books, taking lesson after lesson and then buying a horse in utero – exactly what one probably should not do when in the very beginning of one’s horse journey. However, that baby horse got me to Hilda Guerney and I trained with her for a year and she really taught me the ropes, throwing me in the deep end and into the show ring. Thanks to her I also came to my 4 horses: Francesca, who I imported from Germany; her daughter Stella, who I bred and is now almost 6; Angelo, my only boy and Dina an I1 schoolmaster.

In the beginning of 2020 my husband and the herd moved to an equestrian facility in Moorpark, CA, and now we really live with the horses in our “backyard”, which is amazing, but a lot of work.

What inspired you to start DQD riding apparel?

Probably like for every rider, a tack and apparel store is where I could spend hours (and a lot of money) and I love all the brands that are out there. But I felt that I could add something. I wanted the clothes to be more comfortable, more elegant, to look great also when not on a horse. So I was looking for suppliers, who could help me create my vision and we went through quite some rounds of testing, adjusting, improving, etc.

Every item I designed then went through the wringer with me: I rode in it, I washed it, I put it out in the sun, repeat, and repeat again. There were a few fabrics that felt amazing, but after about 10 times of wearing them, they didn’t hold up, which was really frustrating. The lace for example that is on the inside collar of the print shirts were originally meant to also go on the cuffs and the underarm panels, but that didn’t work. It looked great, but I couldn’t in good conscience sell something that will deteriorate after 5 times of wear. That is how we came up with the rose mesh that is now used for the solid colored riding shirts.

The trigger for the breeches was my love for one specific brand, which is amazing in cut and quality, but the materials used are not particularly comfortable. So I wanted all the features of classic riding breeches with the comfort of the new leggings – the best of both worlds and I think we succeeded there.

Obviously most of our customers are dressage riders, but I am happy to say that I also have people, who wear my clothes, who don’t ride at all!

What separates Dressage Queen Dream  (DQD) products from other items available in the equestrian marketplace?

DQD products are for dressage riders made by a dressage rider. The clothes have to fit a certain way, they can’t get in the way when riding. The breeches need the right grip – not too much, not too little. The phone pocket in the back of the breeches allows to stay balanced and not weighed down on one side having something on one of your thighs for example.

The riding coat works on and off the horse – there are leg straps to keep it in place, a zipper in the back that the coat drapes over the back of the horse, double zippers to keep the front in place without the coat blowing open.

DQD uses high quality materials that withstand a lot of wear and tear but maintaining elegant designs at an affordable price that work in and out of the arena. In a nutshell, that’s what defines our brand.

If you could sum up DQD in one sentence what would that sentence be?

Because every Queen deserves to look and feel the best!

SHOP THE BRAND OUR FAVS

Duck Down Riding Coat $239.00

The ultimate winter coat: fluffy duck down to keep you warm – on and off the horse!
Double stirrup zippers in the front with dual panel, and long zipper in the back to allow for comfortable riding in the coat.
Detachable hood, and leg straps to keep the coat in place when riding.
Lining in DQD print. Machine washable and dryer safe!

Silicone Grip Breeches $89.00

Super soft and comfortable riding breeches with just the right amount of silicone grip for the perfect connected seat and ideal set-up for great riding performance. High waisted with 3 hook buttons and zipper in the front. The brilliant part of this design is the large open back pocket to fit a smartphone.