From H&M to Hermès, fashion brands are jumping at the chance to launch pet lines.
Today, pet parents can buy everything from bow ties to designer dog carriers from major luxury houses including Prada, Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu. Last month, Sandy Liang announced a collection of matching human-and-pup bomber jackets and mulled cardigans featuring Little Beast. Next April, True Religion will enter the space with a collection of leashes, collars, toys and beds through a licensing agreement with Wiesner Products.
While clothing and accessories for four-legged friends aren’t new, more brands are experimenting with pet care as the market grows. Nearly one in five American households adopted a pet during the pandemic, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), driving demand for snacks, toys and blankets. Meanwhile, the fresh-and-frozen pet food category has exploded, thanks to brands like Nom Nom and The Farmer’s Dog, while drug companies have stepped up research into life-extending technology for pet. Now, with a global pet economy that Bloomberg Intelligence puts at half a trillion dollars by 2030, more fashion companies are getting involved.
True Religion has been working to enter the pet space for several years now, CMO Kristen D’Arcy told Modern Retail. D’Arcy, who joined the company as its first CMO in July, is eager to get involved, especially since she adopted her dog two years ago. (His puppy, along with other True Religion employees’ pets, is featured in campaign imagery for an upcoming pet line.) we do here,” said D’Arcy.
True Religion’s new collection features everything from harnesses to cold weather accessories. Denim, a staple of True Religion products, is woven into some of the products, including bedding and leashes. “What consumers love about the brand is our attention to detail,” said D’Arcy. “All of those elements… you’ll see translated into the product line for pets.”
Going forward, True Religion will launch a new pet collection twice a year (once in the fall and once in the spring), D’Arcy said. Items will be available on the True Religion website, as well as through select wholesale partners in apparel and pet spaces. The brand plans to promote the new pet line through an influencer campaign involving people and their pets. Some participants will be True Religion staff and their dogs, while others will be athletes and celebrity pet owners who have been contacted about the campaign. D’Arcy estimates that a combined 100 participants (pets and people) will participate.
Sandy Liang’s new dog-and-owner collection, which debuted online in November, includes colorful furs and knits, many with bows or buttons. Like other luxury petwear, its prices are in the double or triple digits. Styles range from a Lil Grass Fleece Jacket ($695 for people, $88 for pets) to a Little Bommy Puffer Jacket ($965 for people, $149 for pets). “Combining Sandy Liang’s feminine yet edgy ready-to-wear designs with Little Beast’s expertise in the pet industry, this line of winter outerwear and accessories is a stylish dog mom’s dream,” says of a press release.
In March, Tommy Hilfiger entered the petwear space with its first dog collection. The line — created in partnership with dog product licensee Kanine — features preppy polos, branded hoodies and sleek coats in the brand’s trademark colors of red, white and blue. Items range from a $30 Squeaky Rope Frisbee to a $150 Button Front Sweater. “Dogs are often seen as an extension of our personal style, self-expression and wider family,” Tommy Hilfiger said in a statement at the time. “This is an exciting project that brings this collection to life and connects with a whole new global audience.”
Aside from brands and designers, celebrities themselves are starting to launch pet lines. In August, Martha Stewart launched a line of six food formulas for dogs, cats and puppies on Chewy.com. In July, Snoop Dogg’s petwear brand Snoop Doggie Doggs announced it was expanding outside of Amazon and into retail at Petco, Healthy Spot, PetSmart, Kohl’s, Faire, Pet Supplies Plus and Wholesale Pet. In September, Dolly Parton created her Doggy Parton clothing line in collaboration with SportPet Designs. These include shirts, toys that vibrate and a “blonde bombshell” wig.
Anna Andreeva, managing director of equity research for e-commerce and global brands at Needham & Company, told Modern Retail that while consumers may hold back on other goods during economically challenging times, they are not take care of their pets. “Historically, during recessions, it’s been a pretty elastic type of demand,” he said. “Pet spending is more of a need, as opposed to a want, so I think the strength of the space is why you’ve seen some of these newer players come into this category.”
However, Andreeva pointed out, people are getting dogs at a slower rate than during the height of the pandemic, which has led to a pullback in demand for some pet-related items. In fact, the pet ownership rate for dogs has largely stabilized in 2022, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. (The percentage of households with cats, on the other hand, increased last year.)
“The hard goods or supplies category is very leveraged on new trends in pet ownership,” Andreeva said. “And when those are down, that’s obviously not good for the whole category. So I think it’s going to be interesting to watch how well the new players in this category do.”
In fact, some major pet companies have reported a slowdown in spending. Petco’s revenue fell 0.5% year-over-year in the third quarter as customers bought food and medical supplies over other categories such as accessories. According to CFO Brian LaRose, Petco’s discretionary supplies business decreased by 9% year-over-year.
“While we’ve seen an increase in pet adoption during the pandemic, along with stimulus facilitating discretionary spending, the current economic environment means many consumers are more cognizant of their spending and proactive looking for more value,” Petco CEO Ron Coughlin said on an earnings call. “It is clear that we must adapt our business to meet the needs of consumers in this environment.”
