The rapid growth of the Siegelman Stable brand, headed by Max Siegelman, can be attributed to several factors, ranging from creativity to networking and marketing.
First and foremost, though, is strong roots.
Siegelman, the son of harness racing trainer Robbie Siegelman, put philanthropy at the heart of his Siegelman Stable luxury sports and streetwear line, which launched in the summer of 2020 and has found numerous fans in the worlds of sports, music and fashion.
The brand’s charitable endeavours are rooted in the work of Siegelman’s dad, who over the years has been recognized for philanthropic efforts beginning with the Harness Horse Youth Foundation and continuing with his “Hands On” equine program for underprivileged inner-city teenagers, his “Horses with Hearts” project for children undergoing cancer treatment, and his ongoing work with equine therapy programs.
A portion of all Siegelman Stable proceeds go to equine therapy programs across the country.
The family’s story, beginning with the formation of Robbie’s training stable in 1982, as retold through the Siegelman Stable fashion line, has helped set the brand apart from the competition in the ecommerce marketplace.
“We put a lot of effort into telling our story because it’s such a major part of this,” said Siegelman. “With so many brands in the ecommerce and content-creator economy, there can be a lot of clutter. I think because we have such a good brand story, and family heritage to the brand story, that’s what people care about and gets their attention.
“As long as we’re doing this, giving back to different programs for different equine therapy purposes will be a big part of it. That’s a forever thing.”
The brand’s story has played a central role in expanding the visibility of Siegelman Stable and created opportunities for collaborating with a wide range of partners.
Most recently, Siegelman Stable collaborated with the estate of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali to drop a limited collection featuring three hats, a short-sleeved sweatshirt, boxing shorts and boxing wraps. The sweatshirt featured four previously unreleased photos of Ali with his horses at his “Fighter’s Heaven” training center in Deer Lake, Pa. A presale launch party in Manhattan attracted hundreds of people.
“It was special to be asked by [Ali’s] estate to use these rare images of him at Deer Lake with his horses,” said Siegelman. “We put a lot of effort into telling the story the right way. I think anytime you do something with a personality, or iconic person of that stature, you try to do it justice. Hopefully, we did it justice. I feel as though we did.”
A story on the collaboration was featured in detail on the youth culture website UPROXX. In the story, Mychal Bogee, brand director of entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, which acquired the Ali estate in 2013, said, “Siegelman Stable is a luxury sportswear and streetwear brand that is capturing a young audience through purpose. Their deep connection to horses and history make them the perfect partner to bring this rarely visited aspect of Muhammad’s story to life.”
The Siegelman Stable story also caught the attention of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover model Camille Kostek, who last year became the face of the brand’s 2022 Hambletonian collection after learning about its commitment to equine therapy programs.
Other collaborations have involved Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew, the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers, and Carrots streetwear. On the racing side, he has done collections for the Hambletonian, Breeders Crown, Yonkers International Trot and Yonkers Raceway.
This week, Siegelman Stable will release a collection for Sweden’s Elitloppet. The race is coming up on May 28 at the Solvalla Racetrack.
“The collaborations give us the opportunity to tell our story in different ways,” said Siegelman, who works with his girlfriend, Karoline, on all aspects of the business. “We have some other things coming down the line. We have our first MLB collaboration in the pipeline for the 2024 season. There is no shortage of stuff on the way.”
Siegelman’s idea for his fashion line originated from the interest people showed whenever he wore any of his family’s stable gear. He is surprised at the speed that Siegelman Stable has caught on, but not necessarily at the success of the endeavour in general, which has seen celebrities, musicians and athletes from Kendall Jenner to Future to Aaron Judge and Dwayne Wade sport the brand’s logo.
“My background is marketing and networking and creative content,” said Siegelman. “I knew that if I did this the right way, there was an opportunity for it to happen.
“The names of some of the individuals that end up in our direct messages on Instagram to get their hands on some stuff is pretty fun, to be honest. I think it’s the allure of the brand and what we’ve built over the last two and a half years.
“I don’t take it for granted. Having your name on it is definitely a responsibility. But it’s also very cool when things are going the right way.”
(USTA)