Fashion Goes to the Dogs: New Catalog for Little Pooches
Owners of dogs weighing 25 pounds or less have a new resource for designer fashions and accessories made for their pets with the introduction of the G.W. Little catalog.The 32-page book, which mailed Aug. 10, displays an array of merchandise such as brightly patterned Poochelli scarves for $22 apiece, shea butter conditioning shampoo for $15 and the Diva Dogbone pearl-and-white-gold necklace for $1,995.
"The general public has accepted dressing little dogs and taking care of them like children," said John Grieco, president of G.W. Little, Thousand Oaks, CA, when asked about the need for this catalog. The name of the business is an abbreviation of the words The Great World of Little Dogs.
Grieco cited celebrities such as Paris Hilton and her tiny canine Tinkerbelle, as well as Reese Witherspoon, whose character in the movie "Legally Blonde" had a small dog, as influencing the consumer desire to own and dress diminutive pooches.
The clothing is categorized by "doggie lifestyles" such as The Little Luxe Dog, which includes a jacket and droplet necklace; The On the Move Dog, which includes a tote on wheels, a pet car seat with a treat rack and a pup tent; and The Little Sporty Dog, which includes handmade boots and nylon mesh basketball jerseys. The expectation is that consumers will identify with one of the lifestyles and want to accessorize their dog to reflect it. Featured designers include Donald Pliner, Tarina Tarantino and EMRE New York.
"We feel it is a pretty huge audience that has small dogs," said Grieco, who declined to reveal how many copies of the first issue were mailed. The challenge, he said, is that it's hard to target small dog owners specifically. Instead, the company is targeting upscale buyers, expecting that if they don't have a little dog themselves, they'll know someone who does.
A second mailing is planned for this month and a third in October. Grieco aims to have four to six drop dates next year. Because of the catalog's fashion orientation, up to 40 percent of the merchandise will change annually.
A G.W. Little shopping site, gwlittle.com, goes live at the end of the month.
