My dog’s too sexy for Milan, New York and Japan. And he does his little turn on the catwalk.
Pet fashions have become big business. A year or two ago pets were fashion accessories (a la Paris Hilton), but now they have fashions of their own. Major retailers now produce lines of clothing and accessories for dogs and other pets and sell them at upscale boutiques in New York City.
It sounds ridiculous to me, but it could be a huge market. 63% of US households own at least one pet and total spending on pets (for food, vet care, etc) came to US$36 billion in 2005.
A fashion show for dogs was recently held at one of NYC’s hottest clubs, with celebrities showing off their well-dressed pooches. One dog wore a white, 1950s style dress inspired by Marilyn Monroe. (I’m sure she’d be proud.)
Now I’ve seen everything.
Canine Couture
Dogs Get Madeover for International Runway Shows
Trend Themes
1. Pet Fashion - The trend of pet fashions becoming a big business opens up disruptive innovation opportunities in creating designer clothing and accessories for pets.
2. Upscale Pet Boutiques - The rise of upscale boutiques selling clothing and accessories for pets presents disruptive innovation opportunities for creating exclusive, high-end pet fashion brands.
3. Pet Fashion Shows - The popularity of pet fashion shows provides disruptive innovation opportunities in organizing and curating extravagant runway shows specifically dedicated to pets.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Retail - The pet fashion trend creates new opportunities for fashion retailers to expand their offerings and tap into the growing market of pet owners looking for stylish accessories for their pets.
2. Pet Care - The emergence of pet fashion as a trend highlights the potential for pet care industries to branch out and offer specialized grooming and styling services for pets.
3. Event Planning - The demand for pet fashion shows creates opportunities for event planning companies to cater to a niche market and organize unique fashion events for pets and their owners.