40 Under 40: Meet Signe Dreyer

Every Monday, we will be celebrating one of our 40 under 40 makers.

This week we are getting to know Signe Dreyer, a leather worker from copenhagen who specialises in saddle fitting.

Let's get to know her with a quick Q&A.

Tell us a bit about what you do

Just over a year ago, I started my own company: Dreyers Sadelmageri (Dreyer's Saddlery). A Copenhagen - based saddlery business. I rent a small office room but my main workspace is in the back of my van, which has been made into a fully equipped saddle fitting workshop. This means that whenever I go out saddle fitting, I make all adjustments on sight, and the customer is able to take part in the process and ask questions. Once I believe the saddle is correctly fitted, I can try it on the horse again and see it ridden. My customers are very happy that they are able to ride the same day, as most Danes are used to handing their saddles to the saddle fitter and not getting it back for about a week. Once they do get it back, there is no professional checking the fit, the customer has to do it on their own.

How did you get into making leather goods?

I was always very creative and loved making all sorts of things. As a child I made furniture for my doll house and as a teenager I learned how to sew and I made clothes for myself. One day when I was standing in the tack room at my livery yard, admiring all the saddles and bridles, I thought: Maybe I could learn how to make this! And so I began to research the internet on how to become a saddler. This eventually brought me to apply for Capel Manor College.

What is your favourite product to make?

I love making saddles! I love saddles. They are beautiful and big and you can design them in a way that really puts your DNA on them. I am a big nerd and I can tell from a long distance what brand a certain rider is using. I want to make one that's really me! I love looking at bridles, but whenever I make one, I always end up hating the process. I think it is because there are just so many thin straps with buckles and loops that need to be stitched. And so many edges that have to be polished. Saddles also take time but I enjoy cutting those big pieces of leather and assembling all the parts at the end.

What do you love most about working with leather?

I love that you can mold it and stretch it. Knee blocks and seats are great. The fact that a flat piece of material can be shaped so much still fascinates me. I think we can all agree there is too much plastic in the world and working with an all natural product is amazing. I've seen saddles 20-30 years old that still work just fine. That is a quality product to me.

What are your next goals? 

I hope I can someday call myself Master Saddler. I do whatever I can to perfect my saddle making skills. Therefore I am also going to enter the SMS National Saddlery Competition in February. Last year I got 1st prize for my Trainee Saddle. This year I am entering an open saddle class, so I know competition will be tougher, but I hope I can win a prize.

What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about becoming a leather worker or who has just started out?

Go for it! I come from a rather posh part of Copenhagen and everyone in my family has gone to university, so growin up I always thought I would do the same. But don't be scared to stand out. Do something different and if after a while you don't like it, you can always change your mind.

What does it mean to you to be included in the 40 under 40 list?

I was surprised! I thought I was quite anonymous, doing my own thing in Denmark, so to know that someone, overseas, has noticed my work is great.

How important do you think it is to keep traditional techniques alive in the modern world?

Yes, saddlery is a very old craft, perhaps one of the oldest. But it is still super relevant in modern horse riding. These years, a lot of cheap smart looking saddles are being mass produced in the far east and marketed online with equestrian influencers posting them on social media. I think it is very important that good saddlers and saddle fitters are able to explain to the customers why they should put down that extra money and buy a hand made saddle that fits them and the horse properly. If customers follow SoMe trends, they might end up with ill fitting tack that could cause damage to their horse. The right saddle might be a little bit more expensive to begin with, but they'll save all the money on the vet bill.

What have you done to keep relevant in a digital age?

I had a really good web designer help me make a super nice looking website. We tried to make it as simple as possible, while still containing all relevant information. She also helped me to Google search optimize it, so that my website doesn't drown in the sea of other websites. I try to upload pictures and relevant info to my Facebook and Instagram regularly, but honestly I could do a lot better. I always tell my customers that they are more than welcome to post pictures of me online, but only if they tag me.

What is the biggest challenge to becoming successful in your discipline?

You have to be brave. You must trust in yourself when taking a £4,000 saddle apart, that you are able to put it back together again. And good customer service is key to success. The equestrian world is relatively small, so you don't want to get a bad reputation.

For more information, please visit www.dreyers-sadelmageri.dk/

To join this network of great makers, please follow Signe's Instagram page HERE