Anthony Rubio Los Angeles Fashion Week – 2019 Fall/Winter

Anthony Rubio
Women’s Wear and Canine Couture
Los Angeles Fashion Week
The Majestic Downtown
Photo by Johnathan Sutton of Prémium Paris

Anthony Rubio

Canine Couture & Women’s Wear

Los Angeles Fashion Week

“In My World, The Humans Are The Accessories”

Anthony Rubio 2019

Dogs Rule LA Fashion Week

Pet Couturier Anthony Rubio, is no stranger to the runways, having done runway shows for ten years with the last eight during Fashion Week. Establish in 2003, He had a plan in place to break the stigma and barriers presenting his canine couture as escorted by human models wearing his women’s wear fashions held at The Majestic Downtown.

The pet product industry is estimated to bring in 65 billion dollars annually. You can’t help but notice that pets, primarily dogs appear in everything from ad campaigns to commercials to television shows and movies. Pets have transitioned from man’s best friend to being considered actual family members. People who delay having children or can not have children have chosen to fill the void with a pet. As with any family member, there will always be health issues and the need for vaccinations which in turn requires pet health insurance. Other expenses come in the form of pet grooming, pet sitting and/or pet accommodations while owners work or travel. Pet travel is huge as well because many hotels world wide have opened the doors to these family members.

With all of these expenses in place we can not negate the fact the appearances mean everything and that a first impression is based on how one presents oneself. Pet Parents believe that the best impression comes through fashion. Anthony Rubio Designs creates the most distinctive canine fashions to leave the most memorable impressions. Each custom designed garment is a work of art utilizing the best of everything. Anthony Rubio Designs is not only concerned with the pet looking it’s best but also that the pet is comfortable and safe in these one of a kind creation.

From Anthony Rubio:

I am thrilled to say that this is my eighth season presenting for New York Fashion Week. It has been quite a ride reaching great distances I had not imagined but am ever so grateful to have reached. I had been warned that while New York City and most fashion forward cities in the country Would be receptive and open to the concept of dressing dogs, it might not play out the same in the eyes of the rest of the world. I kept getting warnings and advice that I should tread carefully, be patient and practice restraint because for sure there would be skeptics. I was told that not everyone could afford to dress themselves or family members no less the family pet. While other might get turned off or not want to follow through I sat down and processed this. I believe that the best approach was to educate and paint a clearer picture with broad strokes enlightening the dog owners that they dogs are family members and should be treated as such. I did demonstrations. I explained the options and the fun and I got through to them.

This is a new genre. We cohabitate with our canine friends or should I say canine family members. We dress them out of necessity at first but we also do it to be in fashion, to send messages, to celebrate situations and events. I sold them something they had not imagined or that they would think they would like. That was at least 10 years ago. Where people thought it was foolish to dress a dog now it is not only part of the norm something to be expected. If it is cold out doors it is expected that the dog be dressed appropriately. Today events are created to have a reason to dress the dogs. We have Barkday parties (birthday) We have Barmitzvas, themed costume parties and even Nuptials. Most of these events are done not just to dress the dogs but to raise funds for rescue organizations. I have included rescue pups in my shows now for several seasons and am glad to see that this has motivated others to do the same.

I must remind you, that I was the first and remain to be the designer to feature dogs on the catwalks of New York Fashion Week as the models escorted by humans also wearing my creations. I appreciate that other designers have chosen to seemingly follow suit. Unfortunately theirs is to show dogs as accessories which is completely the opposite of my mission. In my show the dogs are dressed and celebrated as man’s best friend and as family members.

The theme of my Fall 2019 collection.

Fall arrives on the heels of Summer. The weather is peasant and still warmish. As the temperatures drop layers of clothing are worn. While the Summer brings bright exuberant colors yo some to others pastels are refreshing especially when in clothes of natural fibers like cotton or linens. For call the colors are warmer reds, Brown’s and earth tones.

For this collection I was inspired by a study into cultural fusion. Cultural fusion is the process through which new- comers to a culture adopt behaviors/traits of the dominant culture and maintain elements of their minority identity to function in the dominant culture. I chose to create garments with the dominant culture being American classics. I introduced colors and subtle design concepts of other cultures like Latin America, India, and on the dogs English and Italian garden motifs. I kept the razzle dazzle glitz on the dogs and not the human models. I waned the dogs to shine. The Women’s wear had lots of ruffles as did some of the canine couture. Red was the dominant color owed by beige and anchored with black. The dogs wore the same colors only theirs were encrusted or infused with crystals and glass beading.

Then end result was an explosion of cultural influences. It all reminded me of a gypsy caravan. It all looked romantic and the audience fell in love.

I would like to leave everyone with a final message.

Until the day you adopt a dog you have no idea how incomplete your existence really is. We can learn so very much from them. I have learned that life is only complicated and filled with obstacles because we allow it. Dog’s like most animals ate resilient. They do not discriminate. They offer unconditional love and only seek companionship and love in return.

I dress the dogs for function but whole heartedly do it to bring attention and love to them. Let us all celebrate man’s best friend.