Lace Ruffled Dresses w/attached Necklace
“I wanted to dazzle them; make them look gorgeous!” That was the inspiration for Madelaine Saia to start her successful custom dog apparel and accessories brand, Diamonds in the Ruff Ruff. Over the past two years of the company’s existence, what started as beautiful jewelry for dogs, has expanded into luxury dog clothing, accessories, spa products and stunning beds. Each item is designed by Saia, and is made by hand in New York. And, because Madelaine (Maddy) began with stones, she understands their power. Some of the items she makes has crystals actually chosen and blessed by the renowned High Priestess of Stones, Allison Hayes.
Diamonds in the Ruff Ruff, besides being a catchy name, is an interesting company. I became a fan after discovering some of Maddy’s products at the New York Pet Fashion Show, where she was a vendor. We spoke, hit it off like gangbusters, and developed a friendship. During that process, I explored what she was building with Diamonds in the Ruff Ruff, and was impressed by her sensibilities and by the sheer breadth of designs she offers her customers. I like how she combines beauty in her creations, with this magical and spiritual quality, including blessed stones in some of her pieces. This is an art I do believe and am interested in, and I’d like to share it with you. So, I decided to speak with Maddy and Allison, and I learned some very cool things!
Matching Rock ‘n’ Roll Dog & Human Necklaces
If you were lucky enough to have known Maddy in those early days, you might’ve received a beautiful crystal encrusted necklace for your pup. “We gave a lot away,” she explained. “I walked through Central Park on many occasions, and started taking photos of dogs wearing my jewelry and then gave them the piece as a gift, for posing for pictures. It was a lot of fun!” Today, with a thriving business at retail and online, she is building her brand, one beautifully adorned pup at a time.
BaS: You started with pet jewelry; was there an incident that led to creating matching necklaces for dogs and their human moms?
DRR: It was a natural evolution. I have a girl who works with me helping me with the jewelry when I get really busy. And, we’d sit there and talk about how pretty the dog necklace would be for us. One day, I looked at her and said ‘Why not make matching sets?! They’ll love them!’ And they do! They sell very well.
BaS: I noticed for spring you have a very colorful palette, with lots of ruffles for the girls in tops, dresses and skirts. And you know I’m a huge fan of your vintage-inspired chiffon blouses!
In one of your new spring designs, you’re combining your strengths, with an adorable lace dress that has an attached necklace to it. What was the inspiration for that?
DRR: Instead of having people pay for a necklace to go with, or trying to figure out what goes with what, I wanted to make a really pretty mother-of-pearl and Swarovski crystal necklace that coordinated well with the lace dresses, and was sewn right onto the collar. Customers seem to love it, because it’s been a really strong seller.
BaS: How much of your business is retail and how much is custom?
DRR: About 90% is custom, but we’re growing now into more brick and mortar retailers. We just got picked up in L.A., we’re in a lot of Florida boutiques, in Canada, and in Germany. Still, the majority is custom. We’re actually doing a wedding dress right now for a fabulous bulldog with a 31″ chest!
Vintage-inspired floral chiffon shirts
BaS: What is your process with your custom clients? Do you do a sketch, do the local ones come in to see you personally?
DRR: If they’re local, it’s easy. They do just come in. But most people will look online and say, ‘You know, I love that ruffled dress, but instead of this, can you add that? Can you change the color? Can you add a little more bling or a flower?’ And, that’s really fun.”
BaS: What’s up next for you?
DRR: Right now, we’re still fulfilling orders from Global Pet Expo. We’re working on making our seventh bed! But after that, it will be collars and leashes.
BaS: Any sneak peeks at what we can expect to see?
DRR: I’m a bling girl. I’ve been that way forever; I’m a product of the 80’s! LOL It’s going to have some sort of flashy something on it, a crystal, diamond or metallic something. Gotta have a sparkle!
BaS: Talk to me about your beds. You just launched this collection last year, and there are so many different collections, so much you were inspired by. How did you come up with them?
DRR: I just see something and think, ‘That would make a great bed.’ As far as the styles, I wanted to do a black shiny bed. So, now we have the Black Beauty, which is all Swarovski crystals, a chandelier and black and red. Then, I wanted to do something that was back to nature, so we did the Elements Collection, which has amethyst stone and quartz. It’s more of a healing bed, because stones are powerful. I keep thinking I don’t want to overwhelm people with so many choices, but I get excited about these ideas and keep creating! And, what’s really cool is no two beds are ever exactly the same, so everyone is getting a unique piece.
BaS: The beds are gorgeous, and it’s apparent that a lot of intricate work goes into them. They are at a high price point. Are they selling?
The Elements Bed
DRR: I’m not selling mass quantities; it’s not that kind of thing, because they are unique and expensive. But, they are finding their way into the high end niche boutiques. And, I’m happy about that, because I don’t want my beds to be like everyone else’s. I want to have unique products that are very high quality, and made with love. There’s no way you’re going to duplicate them.
BaS: Talking about the stones in your Elements bed collection, how did you get connected with Allison Hayes, the High Priestess of Stones, better known as The Rock Girl?
DRR: Through Karen Biehl and her celebrity Chihuahua, Eli. [Karen and Eli were stars in the reality show, Doggie Moms, and they are a fixture on the doggy fashion scene. Some of you may know them]. We got acquainted and she told me about someone she knew who was an expert in healing stones. And, she is. Allison is phenomenal. If anybody knows her stones, it’s Allison. I can’t even begin to explain how much she knows.
BaS: How does it work?
DRR: If someone wants a bed for a particular animal that, let’s say, is very high strung, Allison will choose the stones that are calming and soothing and they will be incorporated into the bed’s design. Her stones are the real thing, blessed and very high energy.
BaS: Are there cases of people with dogs helped by Allison’s stones?
DRR: Allison has many success stories. She’s a huge pet rescue advocate and does lots of work with animals and the stones. Her studio in New York is unbelievable, filled with stones and crystals. I went in there coming off of the crazy streets of New York, and before I knew it, I was so relaxed! You get drawn into the beauty of the stones, and once you find out what they mean, it’s just such a cool experience.
The Angel Heart Channeling Stone
* In my conversation with The Rock Girl to talk about her participation in the Elements collection, I learned a bit more about how the stones work. I was so excited to learn how the art of knowing stones and their respective energy can make such a difference in the life of an animal, I thought Allison’s work needed to be showcased in its own story. So, stay tuned to Bark and Swagger for that. We’ll do a case study and see the results together!
Allison talks here about the chakra system. For those who don’t know what that is, here is a definition:
“The word Chakra is Sanskrit for wheel or disk. It signifies one of seven basic energy centers in the body which are the openings for life energy to flow into and out of our aura. Each of these centers correlates to major nerve ganglia branching forth from the spinal column.”
BaS: Allison, I know little Eli the Chihuahua brought you and Maddy together. How did your work with Eli result in the creation of the extraordinary Elements collection bed?
TRG: Maddy had asked if Eli would model some clothes and I was asked by Karen Biehl’s sister, Kathy, a colleague of mine, to check out the stones used for Eli, to make sure they were the right kinds of stones for his energy. Stones for animals in general, depending on their frequency, are different than for people. Depending on the size and personality of the animal, the stones needs to be adjusted accordingly. There’s no one size fits all formula for crystal healing and chakra balancing. So, Maddy contacted me because she wanted to do her research first before designing something that would work for Eli.
When she came in to my studio, The Rock Room, New York, we had a chat and, through that, came up with the Elements collection. She loved the idea of doing something around the chakra system that was connected to animals. She told me many of her clients had a similar issue with their small dogs in New York City; anxiety. So, I suggested doing something that would connect them more to nature. Maddy designed the furniture and clothing, and I picked out the stones that would connect the furries to Mother Nature and would balance out their energy. There are many different stones that do different types of things. There are cleansing stones, activating stones, awakening stones. In certain combinations, they synthesize and harmonize to create a certain kind of energy. It was so much fun to do this with her.
BaS: That’s pretty cool, Allison! I so look forward to us speaking more about this!
The Black Beauty Bed
BaS: Maddy, speaking of creating a certain kind of energy, tell us about your spa collection.
DRR: The spa collection is new. My little guy is a long-haired Chihuahua, and he’s itchy, scratchy, very allergic to everything. I wanted to make something gentle, natural and with all organic ingredients, because noting’s going on my baby but that. We’ve got five different fragrances for our beauty bars, used to shampoo your dog. We’re also going to do something for the nose and paws.
BaS: You are one very busy designer and business person, Maddy. What is your ultimate goal with Diamonds in the Ruff Ruff?
DRR: Tell me about it! (laughs) But, I love what I’m doing. My intention is to create an entire lifestyle for dogs, so in every part of their lives, they look beautiful.
Where to buy Diamonds in the Ruff Ruff: Bitch New York
What’s your favorite piece from Diamonds in the Ruff Ruff? Do you like matching jewelry with your pup, or is a ruffled blouse or dress more your style? Tell me in the Comments below.
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