Several recent licensed pet lines have featured people-like clothing and accessories styles, almost making pets into “mini-mes” that mirror the fashion choices of either their owners or the property (e.g., a celebrity) on which the range is based. While pet lines typically capture the sensibility of the underlying property in their look and feel, these go all out to replicate as closely as possible the styles favored by their human counterparts.
Three examples from the last few months reflect the fashion sense of celebrity and lifestyle IPs:
- Snoop Dogg’s Snoop Doggie Doggs pet line, launched this month in collaboration with SMAC Entertainment and Little Earth Productions, includes hoodies, shirts printed with gold chains, baseball hats, and athletic-style jerseys. Initially sold on the brand’s website and on Amazon, the range also encompasses leashes and harnesses, bandanas, and pet toys.
- Dolly Parton’s new Doggy Parton line, announced in September, includes items such as a red gingham overalls dress, a blue jean jacket, a cowgirl collared dress, and a pink cowgirl hat with tiara. Pet toys, leashes, and beds are also part of the range. A percentage of proceeds from purchases goes to Willa B. Farms Animal Rescue. The products are available on a dedicated website and Amazon, with more retailers to come.
- Tommy Bahama paired with K9Wear for an assortment that includes some of the same styles and patterns as the human clothing the brand makes, such as the Aruba Zip Neck Pullover and Caribbean-themed printed shirts and pajamas. Harnesses are also made using the brand’s identifiable fabric patterns. The products, announced in August, are sold in department and specialty stores and on the Tommy Bahama website.
Human-like outfits have been available in pet lines before, but they have been positioned more as costumes. For example, Warner Bros.’ new Willie Wonka pet line with PetSmart, developed by Fetch for Pets and announced in September, features a detailed costume of the character of Willie Wonka, complete with coat and top hat, along with a variety of toys, dolls, and other costumes. The difference with the examples listed above is that they are not necessarily meant as costumes, but rather as clothing items appropriate for everyday wear.
Not all properties lend themselves to this sort of novelty take on pet apparel. But sales of pet clothing in general is on the rise—Grand View Research predicts a compound annual growth rate globally of 14.3% per year to 2030—and more properties are likely to continue to include plenty of wearables within their pet products mix, along with the historically more common toys, leashes, harnesses, bandanas, and beds.
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