Since getting my little gorgeous puppy Dhillon the Daschund, I've found myself looking at AND buying all sorts of couture products for him; from collars to coats and leads to bowls, the options are endless. In short, he's a very spoilt pooch (check out Dhillon's trip to Chanel a while back here).
On one of my many journeys around town, I passed a shop called Holly & Lil. Intrigued by the name, I glanced in the window and what did I find? A whole host of goodies for the doggies. But Holly & Lil are not just any puppy parlour, they offer completely bespoke, original and unique pet accessories - the precious stone collars drew me in further. You can only imagine my face!
Holly & Lil are, surprise surprise, dogs. Their owners started to chat when the two dogs took a shining to each other one day on a walk. They decided that there was not nearly enough amaze dog collars and decided to do something about it... make them!
On the website we are told that: "The philosophy behind Holly & Lil is to combine the British tradition of quality handmade leather work with a keen design edge which, we believe, no other company can match". They've got a point. Their products scream luxury, and with a celebrity fan base AND more column inches than Katie Price's divorce, Holly & Lil are quickly becoming canine couture's leading ladies!
To take a much needed breather from the seriousness of Fashion Weeks, I caught up with Elaine, Holly's owner, to ask her a couple of questions. Here's what she had to say...
The VSG: So you design all this fabulous fashion for dogs, was it inspired by anything in your own wardrobes?
H&L: Actually (and I hope not sadly) YES!! The first set I wanted to create for Holly was the pink Cowhide with Orange calf piping that matched my favourite pair of espadrilles. That was 5 years ago and it is still one of our best sellers.
Obviously our taste in clothes pervades our designs and I have to work hard now I am "solo" to keep the designs classic as well as funky. Sarah, my ex-partner, had natural class and style and bought that to the mix. It was a perfect complement to my own...... umm..... "unique" style. This season sees the launch of my new Pebbles range - more muted natural colours that show I am not just an in your face designer but have a certain elegance as well.
The VSG: What with Pet Fashion Week going in the USA right now, do you think it's time pet fashion is taken seriously?
H&L: To be honest no - not too seriously. The whole point of dogs to me is that they bring total joy to our lives. I do not think one should feel any pressure to have them dressed a certain way or keep up with the Jones'. Also, except our Charm and Boho collars, we design around dogs who have real rough and tumble lives and are not lapdogs. A dog collar is something we use everyday so I would rather have a very lovely one than a drawer of cheap "tat" that does not last five minutes when Holly wants to roll in poo and swim everyday.
Boho collar - £90
The VSG: You use gorgeous leather and even semi-precious stones in some of the pieces, what celeb dog would you most like to see in a Holly and Lil creation?
H&L: Oooooooh hard to answer that really! Quite a few celebs do have them now and they pop up in photos in Hello! without warning. I guess it would be very sweet to see a Corgi or two in them, or even the Princes striding out with their Labs in Lime and Orange or possibly a Harris Tweed or two? And if Gerard Butler has a dog... come on down for a fitting!
The Matrix, black onyx, £80
The Matrix, black onyx, £80The VSG: You essentially work with dogs all day, but have you ever thought about venturing into human accessories? Like matching dog and owner collars/necklaces?
H&L: Of course we have and this winter we are launching our fabulous Dog Walking Handbags. They are just to die for and now you can dress as smartly as your dogs.
My dream was to be in Harrods (which we now are) and to get into Liberty - a harder nut to crack as they do not have a pet department - but I can just see our stuff in there. Maybe matching bag and collar and lead may tempt their buyers to giving us a table in the handbag department - that is where we should be.
Some people do actually buy size one collars as bangles and size four fits the ladies perfectly and makes a unique choker.
Emerald CIty, £69
Emerald CIty, £69
The VSG: What's next for Holly and Lil?
H&L: We do now have a fabulous H&L van so we are beginning to do more shows and introduce ourselves. H&L has become the Scooby Doo crew!
We have been very lucky this year that we seem to be becoming a stylists dream - in 2009 we featured on Jonathon Ross when he gave our collars to Mickey Rourke. This year we have been on all the shortlisted Totos on the Search for Dorothy on the BBC, and now on Boss the Boxer in Tamara Drewe. It all helps.
I dream of opening another branch or two in London, maybe Upper Street and/or Marylebone High Street or returning to my roots in Soho. Then out of London; Stamford, Edinburgh, Buxton, who knows! My main aim is to keep one eye on the future but ensure I live now too and keep balance and fun in H&L, essential ingredients. Mind you it is 6am as I write all this.
Holly my angel dog is still my constant source of inspiration. She will be 9 in November but people still ask how old the Puppy is - long may that last. Lily too is still in my life and her beautiful statuesque profile sets my creative brain ticking over. And Eddie the puglet keeps the fun and silliness of it all wiggling around.
The VSG: Finally, do you fancy adding a Dhillon the Daschund into the mix? :)
Safari collection, prices from £48; The Bright Side collection (as seen on Dorothy), from £44
Ladies Who Lunch, £70-£135; Turquoise and Hearts, £80
Check out the whole range HERE.