We got to sit down with Anthony Rubio, world renowned Master Pet Couturier and Dog Rescue Advocate, for a great interview on all things dogs, fashion and style!
Welcoming Mr. Rubio to Canada
It was Mr. Rubio’s first time in Toronto and he came to our friendly city fresh from New York Fashion Week and a hugely successful Benefit for Dogs in Need to show off his designs at the Canadian Pet Expo on Easter weekend. He was excited to be sharing his passion and work, and also raising funds with Canadian Pet Expo to sponsor NSD Iggy from National Service Dogs Canada for Children’s Charity BOOST.
Grant from the Canadian Pet Expo Welcoming Mr. Rubio and Kimba
Mr. Rubio explained to us what an honor it was to have been asked, in 2012, to be the first designer to present a line of dog wear for New York Fashion Week- (provided he also created a line of women’s wear to go with the dogs). As a testament to his success in that first show, this most recent was Mr. Rubio’s fourth show in NYFW!
Video Highlights from Anthony Rubio Designs’ fashion show at the Canadian Pet Expo
Watch the highlights from Anthony Rubio Designs’ fashion show at the Canadian Pet Expo here:
Custom Hand-Made Doggy Couture
Mr. Rubio explained that the difference between doggy fashion and doggy couture is that most of the work with couture is hand-done and custom fitted and that he makes all of outfits himself.
“We dress our dogs, not because we’re crazy people who just want to dress the dogs and walk them around in outfits, but because we have the occasions to do it for!”
Look at the exquisite detailing on one of Anthony Rubio’s Designs
Mr. Rubio mentions that apart from holidays like Easter Sunday or Halloween, there are a lot of big benefits, competitions and occasions like “Puptuals” or Weddings for the dogs to get dressed up and that’s when people drop top dollar and want his incredible couture . But it’s not always easy for Mr. Rubio to part with his designs after having spent hours and even days creating them. He says they are like his babies, but when he sees people come out to events or his designs in magazines or online, he’s thrilled.
Watch our interview with Anthony Rubio where he tells us all about his history in fashion, design and his love of dogs here:
Meet the dogs behind the fashion
Mr.Rubio brought with him, and brings with him almost everywhere, his two little ‘proteges’ and muses, Bogie and Kimba. Bogie and Kimba are Mr. Rubio’s adorable, friendly and incredibly fashionable chihuahuas.
Mr Rubio formally studied women’s wear design but did not enjoy his early days in the industry so was working teaching children with learning disabilities. Then one day, he got the call to rescue a little chihuahua called Bandit. Mr. Rubio spent a year rehabilitating Bandit after he was badly battered and somewhere along the line discovered that the adorable chi loved wearing sunglasses and clothes. He ‘blew the dust off his sewing machine’ and a legend was born!
Mr. Rubio started out making Halloween costumes for Bandit, dressing him up as style icons like Elvis Presley, which landed him his own book cover. It also made him the winner out of 500 dogs in the Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade in NYC for his costume as Michael Jackson and Thriller.
Watch part of our Video interview with Mr. Rubio where he tells us all about his dogs and how they inspire him daily here:
“It really is all about the dogs”.
What do you think about Doggy Couture and Mr. Rubio’s Designs?
Leave a Reply