NYFW Dogs and a Cat In Haute Couture by Anthony Rubio

From Anthony Rubio:

We’ve started the New Year, 2025 with a big bang. When I say ‘We’ I mean all of us which includes the world, our nation and my family at Anthony Rubio Designs.

So much has happened in such a short amount of time. There have been international occurrences that still keep us captivated on different levels and national news, primarily political, which I prefer not to elaborate on. All in all we have been cast into a reality that still casts uncertainty and great waves of emotion across a spectrum of anything from despair and aggravation to overwhelming joy and hope for unity and it is all so draining.

Taking all of that into consideration I found myself seeking an escape, a need to remind myself of things I have experienced and enjoyed. I remembered things that would inspire this collection for my New York Fashion Week. I revisited my travels and visits to museums, theater and into literature.

I took all that and created a collection to bring joy and an escape for just that time you are witnessing my creations on the runway.

Before anything, I must remind all first and foremost I have created a niche, a genre in fashion that bestowed upon me the title of ‘The Pet Couturier’. With that I will say that in as much as I love creating the fashions for people which are included in my shows they are actually instrumental in framing my masterpieces which are worn by the pets. It is all a precession of mixed art to bring attention to man’s best friend who I champion through advocacy for pet adoption and rescue.

For the dogs and a cat I was inspired by books I read as a child. I was fascinated with tales from magical and adventurous times, mostly fiction. My own Chihuahua Bogie came out in a Lime green coat festooned in glass stones and sequins. Ths coat featured pronounced pointed sleeves and wrapped in a swirl of tiny mirrors and stones as would be worn by a prince or maharajah in the Arabian nights. I featured a cat named Winston in a similar though differently colored sheer coat of gold with topaz front panel.. There was a Pomsky and his adopted Pomeranian sister both wearing creations in a metallic fabric that featured explosions of colors resembling impressionist art works. His tuxedo and her opulent ball gown to be featured later this week at their owners’ actual wedding.

Among my favorite creations for pets were a Kimono inspired metallic gold on black silk Kimono on a female Chinese Crested named Suki and the coordinating robe worn by rescued dog Bastian right out of the opera Madame Butterfly. Among the other four legged models were a bejeweled imitation crocodile harness on a Frenchie and a sequined black and white sequin dress with red ruffled skirt on a Samoyed.Another stand out was a silk brocade dress with eight rows of ruffles on a black and white Pekingese.

For the humans I created jewel colored metallic cocktail dresses in textile resembling art by Marc Chagal while other looks were fantasy gowns right out of Moulin Rouge and a splashy blue sequined dress resembling a mermaid.

It was all a parade of childhood literary memories come to life and all to bring joy and respite from otherwise feeling melancholy.

Anthony Rubio Designs gives not just a show but a fashion experience.