Best in show

When everyone’s favorite four-legged creature (and I’m not talking about cats) became the hottest accessory on – and off – the red carpet, a cottage industry boomed. And it’s become one of the biggest surprise hits of retail: canine apparel.

Since Paris Hilton hit the paparazzi’s radar, she and her pooch have been featured just about everywhere – from tabloid photos of the twosome hitting the nearby Coffee Bean with Tinkerbell, her Chihuahua, in tow to making the opening sequence of the Simple Life 4 credits. Tinkerbell gained fame as the subject of a series of misspelled wanted ads Hilton stapled on the palm trees of her LA neighborhood. In an attempt to search for her misplaced pup, she set out distributing tacky glitter-lettered flyers promising a reward for her favored pet. The tabloids later reported that Hilton had merely left Tinkerbell at her grandmother’s home.

Now, every other celeb – or wannabe celeb – has jumped on the bandwagon. Jessica Simpson’s been toting her dog to the supermarket (which has got to be a health violation), Jessica Alba takes to the track with her pug for some exercise, while Topher Grace brings his hound along for a walk around Central Park. Recently, Paula Abdul brought her mini pup to a photo op, posing with the pooch lodged next to her neck, practically strangling her pet in the process.

Celebrity pups get the best treatment. Everyone knows that Mariah’s dog Jack gets treated like a prince. From doggie massages at high-end dog spas to walks around the park – with Mariah in another hootchie mama outfit – Jack Carey is the king of the dog world. Mariah reportedly threw a fit when an airline wouldn’t allow her to take Jack on the plane’s first class section. Her solution? She rented a chauffeur and limo to ferry the pampered pooch all the way to her destination.

Smaller dogs make for even better accessories, because – as one of my flamboyant gay friends tells me – there’s nothing better than accessorizing the accessory with even more accessories. Makes sense? LV has dog carries, a square-shaped basket with mesh fabric covering the ends (to allow the animals breathing room) and the label’s signature monogram leather on each side. Armani, Juicy Couture and Ralph Lauren are just some of the few labels who’ve begun devoting a line of accessories for dogs and their devoted masters.

Now, every canine on the cover of Dog Fancy and New York Dog magazines is decked out in the latest accoutrements of pooch couture: the Prada collar, the Kate Spade doggie bag, the Cartier dog tag.

Designers understand that the buying public – celebs included – have certain expectations. For every brand that enters homeware, interior decoration, the perfume industry or even cosmetics, another enterprising label finds something new to recreate and repackage for the masses.

Today, dog apparel has gained a certain credibility. If consumers don’t mind tossing a few bucks into dog food and grooming products, then surely a few extra for a fabulous Santa costume for the yearly Christmas card won’t hurt.

Dog-loving couple Joel and Minel Pineda used to dress their Shih Tzu named Fibby in all sorts of apparel. Soon, they were selling dogwear at Joel’s sister’s store Irene’s Closet, at the Independent Lifestyles section of Power Plant Mall, to other canine fanatics, importing dog apparel from Pet Depot, Petco, and Ralph Lauren.

After the Pinedas realized they were spending far too much on Fibby, they decided to design a line of apparel called Foxxy Fibby. Minel’s background in interior design and Joel’s architecture degree aided them in sketching designs for their favorite furry animals.

Now, the line includes dog fashion for both males and females, but the label has expanded to accessories and furniture.

Says Irene Pineda, owner of Irene’s Closet, "Foxxy Fibby is people fashion for dogs. Their fashion is very similar to what’s in fashion for us. Say a T-shirt with an iPod print." Similar to Betsey Johnson’s poufy skirts and bright prints, the dresses for female canines are frilly and fun, from a ballet-ready tutu to vivid Hello Kitty frocks.

"We also have dresses with plaids and floral prints. For boys, some denim and cargo pants – complete with pockets for their treat. We also have clothes for the holidays. Last Christmas we had a Santa Claus outfit for dogs," she adds.

Irene recommends fabrics like jersey or cotton for any dog apparel – particularly in this tropical clime. "It has to be light and easy to wear," she explains, "so it’s easier for the dogs to move and breathe."

Foxxy Fibby’s line includes a lot of trendy ensembles for any stylish canine. There are hoodies in breezy cotton silk-screened with a trendy crossbones print, jackets with attached horns and a slogan printed on the back slyly stating "Cute but evil." A hot pink mesh tank looks like every gay boy’s – or Barbie-loving kid’s – dream. Prepsters can avail themselves of some Ivy League attire for their preening pug: striped short-sleeved polo shirts and khaki pants are just the thing for the college-bound hound.

The apparel is built specifically for dogs with shirts cropped high underneath so as not to get wet from wandering pee. Sleeves are cut slanted to allow movement for the dogs’ limbs. And jackets and hoodies have Velcro attachments for easy disrobing.

In the future, Foxxy Fibby will be opening up more avenues for canines to get all dolled up. "We’ll be coming up with a whole line of pet jewelry (ranging from P300 to P500) and pet furniture like a dog bed, dog condo, and dog cabinet for the upcoming store (currently being revamped) at the Power Plant Mall," she says.

Whether you’re a celeb or the average joe, one thing is clear: When it comes to your pooch, only the best is good enough.

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Foxxy Fibby is available at Irene’s Closet, temporarily located at Archeology, second floor of Power Plant Mall (near Kidz Station). For more information, call 0918-9357619.