About us
Vom From Icelandic horses into the wide world: The riding fashion from SONNENREITER by Marlies Gericks
A special company history
It started in 1997 when Marlies Gericks – a very creative garment engineer – noticed her enthusiasm for the riding sports. She noticed that riding apparel was exactly the opposite of fashionable/stylish. Wide cuts and dark colors were the most dominant things in the cupboards of the equestrian-fans. A situation that Marlies Gericks would have liked changed.
With this in the background she designed her first SONNENREITER-collection in 2000.
This collection was characterized by close-fitting, fashionable cuts and at the same a high functionality. As for the cavaliers: they were already enthused of the first collection SONNENREITER. For the company it meant many enquiries.
From passion “made for nature”
Convinced of the quality of their products Marlies Gericks put their whole energy into this new project.
First the new fashion was only sold over factory outlets on fairs and on competitions for Icelandic horses (which is the secret passion of both managers), but after a time the demands grew more and more. The sudden fashionable behavior of the Icelandic horse riders could not be kept unseen any longer. In the last years the trademark SONNENREITER has been established with all enthused horse fans - as a trademark for special riding apparel, made for the riding in free nature. “Made for nature” – as promised from motto of SONNENREITER.
The Münsterland and the wide world
SONNENREITER as a trademark of elta nova GmbH is an exclusive manufacturer of fashionable and at the same time functional riding apparel from Rheine, in the Münsterland.
With its 15 members of staff the company serves more than 400 riding-retailers in 13 countries worldwide. elta nova is called the atelier of Marlies Gericks, who created the trademark in 2000 and who designed all collections since then.
Fashionable riding-highlights twice a year
In the meantime the fashion line “SONNENREITER” is created twice a year. While the collection for spring/summer put fashionable into the mood for the sunny days on a horseback, for the fall/winter-collection there are more the warmer-functional articles of clothing with the suitable darker colouring, which dominate.
It was possible for SONNENREITER to win Vivien Schockemöhle exclusively as a model. She is the daughter of the show jumping-veteran Paul Schockemöhle and she is able to give all collections a suitable young face.
Marks are left in the world of the riders – this shows how very successful the whole conception of SONNENREITER is. These last years the riding fashion has been created definitely much more fashionable – a triumphal procession that started in Rheine and it hasn’t been ending yet – not for a long time yet.
Further insights into our current collections you could get:
Sonnenreiter by Marlies Gericks
Schulten Sundern 6
48432 Rheine
Tel.: 05975 929414
Fax: 05975 929420