A Fresh, Upscale Dog Boutique with Items You Won’t Find Everywhere

I love shopping; there, I’ve said it. There’ve been plenty of people in my life who haven’t been thrilled by this, but I am who I am and shopping makes me smile. Do you feel me? That’s why opening a boutique filled with garments and accessories I love is such a thrill. You’ve heard about my upscale dog boutique – the Bark & Swagger Boutique –  opening yesterday. Now, I’m going to tell you about the beautiful things in the shop and the stories behind them, because well…I love stories, too.

Yaks Giving Back from Bhutan

When I discovered Chews Happiness, it filled me with that excitement you feel when you’ve stumbled upon something oh-so-cool. Brand founders, Tavor and Meeta, are world travelers and they fell in love with Bhutan, a tiny country in the eastern part of the Himalayas. What makes Bhutan so special is this country cares deeply about its people – about their quality of life, about conscious economic development – so much so, they are the only country in the world to have a Gross National Happiness quotient. Seriously. And, they possess wonderful artisans that knit these beautiful garments. The raw material –  yak down, the finest, softest, warmest wool, coveted by master weavers, more than cashmere! Once a year, the yaks shed their outer layer and the herders collect it. Gorgeous dog sweaters and women’s shawls, shrugs and tunics are made from it under the Chews Happiness brand. Each piece is imbued with that happiness quotient energy and its color and pattern have deeper meaning about being connected to all beings and the human/animal bond. I loved the story, and I fell in love with the garments. You’ll find them all in the Boutique.

Travel and Play Ready in Miami

My dear friend, Aileen, in New York, turned me on to a company making high quality, chic active wear for women, perfect for walking your dog or traveling with them. They’re called Anatomie and are based in Miami. I went to the showroom and went gaga for so many of their pieces, my husband had a canary when he saw what I spent! But…I loved that theirs are garments that don’t need to be ironed. They are machine washable. You can roll them up to travel and they look great when you put them on. Why? The technology in the fibers responds to our body heat and all wrinkles fall away. How cool is that? Several styles are in the Boutique.

Repurposed One-of-a-Kind Cashmere

My dear friend, Margaret Konecky, and her partner, Raffi, created a wonderful brand called The Elegant Hare. They make repurposed cashmere pet sweaters, pillows, scarves for dogs and women. They are embellished with gorgeous crystals, vintage buttons or appliqués of lace or some other  fabulous trim Margaret has found on her journeys. Each garment is one of a kind. You’ll find their leopard dog sweater and matching human scarf in the Boutique, but if leopard isn’t your thing, Margaret and Raffi can make most anything for you. Just ask.

Olympic Champion Gymnast Making Beautiful Jewelry

Margaret introduced me to Dominique Moceanu, fellow Cincinnati neighbor and the Olympic gold medal champion gymnast from the Atlanta Games> Moceanu went on to develop a speaking career,  and is also a designer of beautiful jewelry for women and, now, for pets. Under Creations by C&C Dominique Moceanu Signature Collection and Crystal Couture for Pets, with partner Wendy Campbell, I’m featuring three pieces that are exclusive to the Bark & Swagger Boutique. They are made with beautiful materials and fit for a princess. Dominique and Wendy can make anything, including matching pieces for you and your dog. Explore your imagination!

Italian Design & Artistry

I came across a gorgeous, luxury dog apparel brand out of Milan a couple of years ago called Inamorada. I interviewed brand founder, Benedetta Sainaghi, for my radio show and kept up with her. The pieces she designs and makes are purely Italian – wonderful tailoring, highest quality materials and chic, European styling. I’ve chosen a few I think you’ll love; I definitely do.

Your Dog can Look Chic and Be Calm at the Same Time

A dear friend turned me on to a new brand out of Chicago called Heavenly Beasts. I loved what I saw on their site and reached out to Laura Keivan, the brand founder. Laura has designs wonderful capes for dogs! And, she’s taken it even further. All Heavenly Beasts items come with a good-looking brass Heavenly Beasts Charm that houses aromatherapy “Cloud” inserts. Her cloud inserts are all-natural, human-grade, essential oils that create a cloud of calming scent around your dog. They’re great for traveling, parties, or to simply calm down an over-active dog. Laura’s capes and a wonderful water-resistant waxy twill and red plaid coat called the Barbour Waxy Classic are in the Boutique.

Custom Beading and Bridal Leather, Oh Yeah!

My friend, Mona Straub, who I met via a wonderful organization called Women in the Pet Industry Network, makes unusual, very beautiful hand-beaded pet collars, leashes and belts for us under the brand, Just Fur Fun. She has many designs and colors, or, you can create a one of a kind yourself. The leather for the pieces is burnished and beautiful, bridal leather that wears so well and gets better with age. Mona is also a foster dog mom. She is very involved in shelter, Dachshund Rescue South Florida,  and has been fostering and orchestrating adoptions for years. We love that!

The Best Boots Ever

I met Karyn Pek of PoochieBoots online, and thought she had the coolest idea of well-fitting, finely made dog boots with interchangeable straps. I went to her studio on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and saw all of the possibilities. For the first time, dog parents had an alternative to boring balloon boots, clunky boots or Outward Bound-looking boots. Your pup could express a mood; going from Chanel-inspired to glittery glam, from holiday to superhero…the sky is the limit in the different straps that are available and will be available on PoochieBoots. I loved that! And, a percentage of each boot sold, goes to animal rescue.

Luxury Haute Collar Accessory

Finally, I had to have my baby, Couture by Sophie represented. Our red and blue velvet Haute Collars are so popular, I thought they were perfect for this Holiday season.

If you really love anything you see,  buy it. The art gallery aspect to the Boutique means that every few months, I will be taking down what’s there, and putting up new designers I’ve found and want to share. The objects that went before will be gone. I kind of like that; each piece has a place in time and, like fashion, time moves forward with new pieces, new designers, new trends and inspirations.

Shop the Bark & Swagger Boutique and take advantage of a 10% thank you gift coupon off of your purchase with the code OPENING10  at checkout.

What strikes your fancy?