The power of the dog

Four-legged fashionistas are big business these days, with Celine the latest luxury brand to release a canine collection

Words by Mia Aimaro Ogden

Celine’s luxury canine accessories, clockwise from top left: Voyage 50 “Dog” pet carrier; Triomphe toy in black rubber; wide dog leash in tan smooth calfskin with studs; double dog bowl in tan Triomphe canvas

Muses come in all shapes and sizes. For Celine’s creative director, Hedi Slimane, the inspiration behind his latest collection is a 20kg-plus furball called Elvis. When Slimane’s labradoodle couldn’t find the doggy accessories he was looking for, his human designed them for him – resulting in Celine’s first luxury dog and saddlery line under Slimane’s aegis, rooted in the brand’s “rich expertise in leather goods”. Elvis – who also stars in the new ad campaign, Portrait of a Celine Dog, shot by Slimane – joins a long line of highfashion canine muses: Yves Saint Laurent’s four generations of french bulldogs, all called Moujik, immortalised by Andy Warhol; Marc Jacobs’s bull terrier Neville, dubbed “the hardest-working dog in fashion” by The New York Times, and photographed by David Sims; and Toutou, Simon Porte Jacquemus’s dachshund, recently seen on billboards with supermodel Laetitia Casta for the label’s L’Année 97 campaign. Celine is just the latest luxury brand to create a line of pet accessories. The LVMH-owned fashion house follows in the pawprints of Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Versace, Ralph Lauren and Moschino in offering a canine collection, while the Mr Porter e-commerce site stocks lines from brands such as Fendi and Loro Piana. “Our pet parents want to be stylish in all areas of their life, and to extend the idea of luxury to their much-loved animals,” says Mr Porter’s Jessica Owens. “They want only the most fashionable accessories, such as cashmere dog-beds and high-end collars.”

Celine’s deliciously cool accessories include monogrammed leads, studded collars, a clip-on wallet for waste bags and treats, and a chew toy in the shape of Celine’s Triomphe logo. Dog bowls are encased in a lambskin-covered box with tan calf handles, while the fashion house’s Voyage carryall, made from Triomphe canvas with tan lambskin trimmings, has been repurposed as a pet carrier: versions come printed with “Dog” or “Cat”. The Triomphe motif recurs throughout the collection, meaning humans can match their doggy accessories with Celine’s handbags and leather goods.

And what does Elvis think about his role as the new Celine muse? Sadly he’s unavailable for comment – too busy chewing on his brand-new rubber Triomphe toy. Accessories from £120; celine.com.