The Only Dog Fashion Designer Asked to Exhibit at the Louvre: Meet Manfred of Sweden
Bjorn & Ann Gärdsby of Manfred of Sweden, with Manfred in Venice, California
Do you have a favorite designer brand where everything they create, you’d love to own? I feel that way about Manfred of Sweden, one of the most exclusive and creative dog fashion brands in the world. International fans, museum exhibitions alongside iconic fashion designers and apparel that showcases such vision and talent, you won’t see creations like this anywhere else. Manfred of Sweden’s founders, Bjorn and Ann Gärdsby, turn down most interview requests they get, and they get plenty. That’s why I’m so excited to share with you an interview I did with them for my Bark & Swagger Pet Life Radio show, and the incredible offer they made to Bark & Swagger followers. Stay with me; you’re not going to want to miss this opportunity to learn more about the only dog fashion designer asked to exhibit at the Louvre!
Bjorn and Ann live a wonderful life in Malmo, Sweden, with the inspiration for their brand, an adorable Yorkie named Manfred and his son, Moose. Launched in 2003, shortly after Manfred became a part of their family, the brand began with a cool rock star motorcycle jacket, made to keep Manfred warm in the Scandinavian cold. “Ann stole one of my leather jackets out of the wardrobe to make a jacket for him,” Bjorn recalls about his fashion designer wife. “Our vet had recommended putting a jacket on Manfred, or he was concerned the dog would get sick from the cold. So, Ann stole the jacket that that was it. She bought some small handcuffs to put on it. People would stop us on the street. They’d never seen something like that before.” And, back in 2003, I’m sure they hadn’t! You can check out that early jacket on Manfred, just below. Attitude with style.
The moto jacket that started it all
From there, Ann found inspiration everywhere, and Manfred of Sweden was born. Possessing impeccable taste and style, Ann created some of the most beautiful fashion I’ve ever seen on dogs. From classic designs with meticulous detailing to the most intricately embellished pieces, from tasteful Hermes vintage fabrics to the traditional Swedish Folklore needlepoint, this design house is special.
Ann Gärdsby of Manfred of Sweden, with Manfred in the Angel jacket
Read on to discover what they’re about and the one time incredibly generous offer they’ve made to Bark & Swagger fans.
The Interview
The Designs
B&S: Your designs are so detailed and well thought out. What inspires you and how does Ann create?
MoS: We travel around the world and when Ann sees something – it could be in India, Japan, Moscow, anywhere – she gets inspired and she does it. The next morning, there’s a new jacket.
B&S: Does Ann work from a sketch? Are there dog mannequins?
MoS: It’s all in Ann’s mind. She does everything herself. Manfred is the mannequin, as well as his son, Moose. Manfred is the real mannequin. Moose looks more like the guys at the Gold’s Gym in Los Angeles! (laughs)
B&S: He looks more macho?
MoS: Yes. These days, Manfred just does what he wants; we don’t ask him to do anything he doesn’t want to. I never had a small dog before him; I had Great Danes. But, I must say, Manfred is the biggest dog I’ve ever had.
B&S: Small dog, big personality?
MoS: Exactly! I’n glad you understand.
B&S: The fabrics you choose are so beautiful and atypical of what you see out there. Where do you find your vintage and your folklore fabrics?
One of the Vintage Collection pieces
MoS: Vintage comes from all over Europe. Hermes silk and some polyester, which looks as good and last longer.
A Folklore piece from the collection
Folklore is an old tradition in Sweden. Many of those fabrcis we use are 80 years old. When people were sitting in their small houses in the north of Sweden, before there was television, they had to do something. All of the women were needle pointing. This was their pleasure. In the summers, they would sit on the porch, listening to the radio. Now, we buy the ones we like all over and make clothes from them. We thought it would be a waste not to use them.
Where they are popular…
B&S: I agree. They really look special. What has shown to be the most popular designs over the years?
The Classic Interweave Jacket and Bag
MoS: It’s different for each country. For Russia, we’ve done some jackets that are thicker leather and the dogs need it. In the south of Europe, they like all of the leathers a lot. It breathes and it shapes itself to your body the more you wear it, and looks better as it develops more patina. Vets have told us leather is very good in a cold country because it does breath. In many ways, vets have actually set the standards of what we should do. Whether it’s how it fits the dog or what materials you choose, it’s always best to think about your dog and what’s best for him.
The most elaborate design & unusual rock star tee’s…
B&S: What is your most elaborate design?
The Fairytale Jacket
MoS: That is the Fairytale jacket. It has 2, 500 Swarovski crystals on it. Ann designed it for a competition we participated in for Pet Fashion Week New York, this wonderful event that took place in Sao Paolo, Tokyo and New York. We’d just been on a trip to Morocco and all the scents, colors and ambiance was fantastic. She didn’t show it to me until two weeks after. We ended up winning the competition; it was the Media Choice Award for Pet Fashion Week by Swarovski Elements, who sponsored the whole thing. There’s a video of Manfred running on Venice Beach in L.A., in that jacket we put all these crystals on. So, it’s a coat they can really wear, it fits well and it’s comfortable.
B&S: Even your dog tee shirts aren’t the typical ones you’d see around. You’ve done it differently. Famous rock photographer Jan Olofsson, who’s shot all of rock’s royalty throughout the 60’s and 70’s, from The Stones, to Jimi Hendrix to Johnny Cash and more, it’s his photographs on these tee’s. How did you hook up with him?
The Beatles Rock Star Tee
MoS: I actually grew up with him. He was the best friend of my brother, who was a rock star in Sweden, and was his manager when he was 15 years old. Jan lived with the Beatles in Germany. He moved to London at a very young age and started a record company. So, he had the opportunity to meet these people, take pictures of them and become friends with them. He was a fantastic person. He passed away two months ago. He was a close friend.
He loved Manfred and Moose, so he offered for us to use his pictures. It was quite easy for us. It is fantastic to have that opportunity because his photos are so wonderful. They’re natural, they don’t pretend.
B&S: Truly a rock star tee!
B&S: Ann designs and makes luxury women’s clothing, as well. Ensembles like The Japan on your site are gorgeous. Do the women who buy clothing from Ann also buy for their dogs?
MoS: Yes. They usually want something to match a favorite bag. Women, bags and shoes is a very special thing. (we laugh).
B&S: We all know that!
MoS: Sometimes, it’s not the expensive bag that becomes the favorite and we’ve found making a jacket for the dog to match that bag is a great thing for them.
B&S: This is a perfect seg way to the amazing and generous offer you’re making to Bark & Swagger followers, Bjorn. You are about to launch an updated style of one of your much-loved, classic dog carry bags. Tell us about the bag.
MoS: This is a classic bag for us, like the Manfred of Sweden leather jackets, that we’re changing a bit every year to keep fresh. People love it. It’s lambskin leather, the softest skin you can have, and gets better with age. It’s big enough to put so much into, in addition to the dog. There are lots of pockets – 4 on the outside and 2 on the inside – and a pull out bottom you can clean. The dog can put their head out of the side, or if they raise their heads, the bag will open, because it closes with magnets. You can also alter the bag on the sides to make it bigger.
B&S: Sounds fantastic! Here are a few pictures of this gorgeous bag. It comes in a few styles, and you have the choice of which one you want: The American, The Classic, The Paris. The colors are black, red, cognac and bronze.
Classic Interweave Black
Paris in Cognac
Classic Interweave Bronze
Sport Style
The Manfred of Sweden One-Time Offer
For the first 40 customers only, Manfred of Sweden is offering a 50% discount on a gorgeous carry bag. This bag is not an old style, nor are they trying to get rid of an overstocked item. This is a sought-after, luxury bag that normally retails from $1,725.00 to $1,966.00.
It is currently on sale for less, but Manfred of Sweden is offering us 50% off of the already discounted price! Until November 20 only, these bags will only cost between $437.50 – $625.00. When you think about what a luxury designer bag costs today, this is an amazing price! This bag won’t last for just one or two years; it will last many years, and will never go out of style.
How To Take Advantage of this Offer
Go to http://store.manfredofsweden.com/fashion/bags.html to see the bags selected for this offer. Choose your favorite. Then, email Manfred of Sweden at 50bagoff@manfredofsweden.com and tell them which bag you’d like and how many. Include your name, address and phone number. This offer can only be used by the person living at that address. Manfred of Sweden will invoice you via Paypal, and the bag will be sent out, once payment is received.
I can’t stress enough how unusual an offer this is, from one of the most coveted designer dog brands in the world. Now, back to my interview! 🙂
B&S: Yours is one of few dog fashion brands that have been exhibited in museums, alongside iconic human fashion brands. Tell us about that.
MoS: Our first exhibition was at the Design Museum in Gothenberg, Sweden.We were lucky to have the main room for three months. It was very successful and they loved our designs. Then, we started to work with Swarovski and, through them, exhibited at the Monnais Museum in Paris with John Galliano, Giorgio Armani, Viktor and Rolf and Vivienne Westwood in a crossover exhibit. It was Swarovski’s biggest exhibition ever. They ended up making a coffee table book from it called Unbridled. We’ve also exhibited in the Louvre.
B&S: How exciting! Exhibiting in the Louvre, the Monnais, crossing over with designer icons; I don’t think any other dog fashion brand has done that!
Imagine our pups wearing or being carried in a piece that was in a museum? Now that is something to talk about!
Which Manfred of Sweden bag is your favorite? Tell me about it in the comments.
