Every dog has its day, even at New York Fashion Week. So do the odd cat, hen and even a big old lizard.
Some 150 critters took to the catwalk Thursday night in the 11th edition of the New York Pet Show.
Get a load of Paco and Pearl, chihuahuas decked out with skirts, sweaters, wigs and big earrings, who looked nervous as their turn under the bright lights approached.
The lizard, not exactly expected to sashay for the crowd, wore a dress made of feathers and rode a skateboard for its 15 minutes of NYC fame.
Yeyush, a chihuahua with his own Instagram account, wore a black jacket, a bandana with tiny skulls and sunglasses as he strutted with owner Sergio Galdamez, a New Yorker of Guatemalan origin.
Then there was Juju, a Yorkshire terrier sporting a long dress of antique lace.
Paco, Pearl and Penelope sported the same outfits as their masters, a couple from Dallas boasting disco-era duds.
Indeed, the theme of the night was the look of the 60s and 70s.
Lady Gaga and Beyonce were on hand, although looking thoroughly un-disco: the former all in bright pink and the latter in a petite jacket.
Sharon Folken, who brought hens, said she wanted to stand out — even in this dazzling herd.
“I wanted to be unique. I wanted to be different, so I chose my hens,” she said, a flapping poultry specimen under each arm.
– Designer couture –
Some designers took things more seriously, though, such as Anthony Rubio, who does “couture” for animals. Last year he was named designer of the year at the pet fashion show.
While Rubio did not take part this year — “I don’t compete any more, I don’t have to,” he said — he did came to watch with his two chihuahuas, named Bogie and Kimba.
They were all dressed in green, red and blue in garb recalling the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album cover.
Rubio has been making pet clothes for a decade and says business is good.
The dog outfit he made last year that won him the top prize cost $5,000. The little red hat that Bogie wore Thursday night costs $150.
Chen Sahar, a young jewelry designer from Tel Aviv, created a matching collar and bracelet for Annabelle, a puppy up for adoption, to wear just to this three-catwalk show.
The dog’s collar was made of sterling silver, 195 various size Swarovski Crystals and fine leather.
The bracelet, which was on the dog’s right front paw, was also made of sterling silver and leather and brimming with gems.
The ensemble sells for $12,000. Sahar was unsure how she would do.
“It’s the first time I am doing jewelry for animals. I like special projects,” she said.
The mood was relaxed and merry, amid strollers for dogs, vendors of specialized products for pets and, yes, all those jittery models waiting offstage.
“My boys love to dress, all the time. They have a bigger wardrobe than I do,” Rubio said of his chihuahuas.
Indeed, the atmosphere had all the buzz and nerves of a fashion show for humans.
Only the lizard, owned by one Susi Lacoff Resner, seemed indifferent to it all as it prepared to be hoisted onto the skateboard.
Like every year, the goal of the show is encourage people to adopt abandoned animals and raise money for associations working for this cause.
“We hope to raise a lot of money,” said Gregg Oehler, president of the New York Pet Show.