Luxury products tempt pet owners
By Sandra Eckstein
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/05/08 
Today’s pets have moved inside and become part of the family. And like any family member, we tend to dote on them; some people more than others. Pets living over-the-top lifestyles were the target of vendors at a show in Atlanta over the weekend.
The Luxury Pet Pavilion, a wholesale show for high-end pet products, blew into town Friday with everything from handmade pet sofas and pet wedding gowns to furniture designed for cats to scratch. The trend now, said show founder Stephanie Ellis, is functional luxury for pets.
“Now that pets are part of the family, they want all their products to not only work, but to look good, too,” Ellis said.
While Ellis said the show was smaller than past events, it included some interesting products for the well-heeled pet parent. Here are some items pet owners might see the next time they pop by their favorite pet boutique:
SunSpa. We know a lot of pets love to sun themselves by windows. But can pets suffer from SAD, or seasonal affective disorder? For people who think their pets might have SAD —- or just might enjoy a winter sunbeam —- this item is the ticket. A wooden arch holds a foldaway mat that’s odor, stain and bacteria resistant. At the top is a small cage with a bulb that simulates sunlight and heats the mat to 85 degrees. For just $299, it’s like your pet’s own, private sunny window any time.
Emma Rose Design. This clothing line bills itself as “high quality dog couture for your posh pooch.” That’s because they use things like organza, taffeta, satin, lace, velvet, pearls, Swarovski crystals and embroidery in their pet clothing line. The company even sells wedding dresses, although Carol Blanchette said at the show that they’re getting more orders for flower girl and ring bearer outfits. “People are more into incorporating their dogs into their weddings than marrying them off like they were a few years ago,” she said. Prices range from demure to OMG —- about $50 for a simple dress to $15,000 for the poshest wedding gown. Custom orders, of course, are welcome.
Cat Livin. Does your cat scratch your furniture? Then why not give him furniture he can scratch? That’s the idea behind this company’s new line of cat-friendly furnishings. They started with a door-mounted cat tree, and now owner Jeremy Moser is finding new things to wrap in sisal. At the weekend show he had an ottoman covered in sisal (complete with hollowed out area for cats to hide) and was promoting his new line of chairs that are cat friendly, too. “All of the vertical surfaces are sisal, but anything that touches your skin isn’t,” Moser said. The furniture comes in 17 colors and with different style feet. Pricing starts at $300.
Poochie-Bells. It’s an old trainers trick. Put a bell on a string around your door, and teach your dog to ring it when he has to go out. But who wants an ugly bell hanging on a string in their house? That was the reasoning behind this company, which places two sets of bells on a ribbon to hang from a door knob. The ribbons are available in more than 50 styles and come in fabrics from leather to grosgrains and jacquards. They retail for $16.50 to $29.95.
Pawniquely Yours. For people who love their dogs but hate that ugly dog bed in their living room, this company has the answer to an interior decorating nightmare —- miniature dog beds that look like couches or lounges. Made to order using a solid oak frame and commercial grade fabrics, these beds can be dressed up with tassels, brocade trims or even glass beads. Prices run from $600 to $1,200.
3-Way Stroller. Now that pets are on the go, people need things that make it easier for them to get around. This stroller from Furry Travelers converts into a carry bag and a stroller, all for $99.95. It folds for easy storage and the stroller includes a snack tray and cup holder.
Luxury Pet Pavilion - Fall `08 Deadlines
Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel Room Block discount Deadline | July 1, 2008
On-line registration Deadline | July 15, 2008
Freeman Show Contractor discount Deadline | July 21, 2008
Best New Product and Best Booth contest deadlines | July 25, 2008
Luxury Pet Pavilion Announces 2008 Fall Show
World’s First Traveling Trade Show for Luxury Pet Products Debuts in Atlanta August 2-3
ATLANTA – March 31, 2008 – To the delight of pet lovers across the Southeast, The Luxury Pet Pavilion is proud to announce Atlanta as the host city for the 2008 Fall Show. As the world’s only traveling trade show for luxury pet products, The Luxury Pet Pavilion introduces the latest pet fashion, accessories and furniture to consumers and businesses alike. From matching Swarovski crystal collars and leashes to pet armoires and monogrammed doggie bathrobes, The Luxury Pet Pavilion is one of the nation’s premier shows for pet retailers, showcasing “what’s in” for A-list pet owners across the country.
Created by in 2007 by Stephanie Ellis, CEO of Pawniquely Yours, The Luxury Pet Pavilion is a traveling forum in which luxury pet manufacturers and purveyors of fine pet goods can conduct business with comfort and ease. With product gift bags, champagne toasts and gourmet treats, guests enjoy a red carpet experience as they preview the finest luxury pet products on the planet.
Highlights of the 2008 Atlanta Fall Show include an exclusive “Eco Pet Pavilion” showcasing the latest eco-friendly pet products for both home and travel; a one-of-a-kind “Grooming Station” offering tips, demos and product suggestions; educational trend seminars featuring visual merchandising and internet marketing and a grooming competition with celebrity judges and rescue dogs from Atlanta shelters. The annual “Best of Best” awards will be announced Saturday, August 2 following the grooming competition.
“A traveling trade show for pet products allows retailers and merchants of luxury pet goods the opportunity to keep abreast of the latest trends, says Stephanie Ellis, President, Luxury Pet Pavilion. “Pet parents want to give their pampered pooches the finest products to ensure comfort, health and longevity – and then of course, they want their pets to look as fashionable as they are.”
The 2008 Fall Show will take place August 2-3 at the AmerciasMart, 1st Floor Exhibit Hall, Building 3, 250 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. Sponsors of the 2008 Fall Show include: Pet Style News, Pet Product News, Pet Business Magazine, The Pet Elite and Westin Peachtree Plaza. The official charity for The Luxury Pet Pavilion is “Angel on a Leash,” a therapy dog program created by The Westminster Kennel Club.
For more information including sponsorship and exhibitor information, visit: www.luxurypetpavilion.com
Luxury Pet Pavilion to host special “Celebri-Dog” kickoff event for Angel on a Leash in Los Angeles as part of Spring ’08 Show
Famous Canines of the Silver Screen to be Immortalized with
“Hollywood Dog Walk of Fame” at Laurel Canyon Dog Park Friday, February 22. Read full press realease.
New Trade Show Brings Luxury to L.A.
The Luxury Pet Pavilion, which made its debut during Pet Fashion Week in August in New York City, is coming to Los Angeles on Feb. 23-24, 2008, as a stand-alone trade show. Read full article (PDF)
High-End Luxury For Man’s Best Friend On Display At Trade Show
A whisper fleece robe, a chenille pillow, a handmade sweater – all for our four legged friends. These were just some of the high-end goods on display at the first ever Luxury Pet Pavilion Traveling Trade Show.
Pet furniture designer Stephanie Ellis founded the exhibit to meet the growing demand of folks looking to pamper their pets.
“Pet products outsold toys and candy last year,” said Ellis. “People have brought Rover inside and they’ve really become part of their families instead of just their pet.”
According to industry experts, Americans shell out $41 billion a year on pets, and that number is expected to rise.
“They’re buying designer duds. They are buying high quality products for them, because people are taking their pets every where,” said Luxury Pet Pavilion Media and Marketing Director Charlotte Reed. “Pets are a reflection of their lifestyle.”
The Pet Pavilion wasn’t open to the public, but Reed showed NY1 some of the latest pet trends.
“Travel bags are hot right now. You think about fashion; you think about fit and you think about functionality,” said Reed. “You’ve got a beautiful bag, plush inside for the dog. You’ve got these great pockets. You’ve got metallic. Red is a popular color, that’s what people want to see, and also the bags are very discreet.”
From bags to bling – we’re talking crystal studded bowls, leashes and collars.
“I mean my dog could wear this mesh collar and I could wear it too,” said Reed.
Reed says pet owners are also interested in eco-friendly clothing, and in the wake of the pet food recall, more people are buying organic and natural foods.
Some of the vendors say they were inspired by their pooches to open a pet business. Pet clothing and furniture designer Marilyn Hikida is the owner of Barking Baby. She founded the company as a way to spend more time with her Maltese.
“I had a very big corporate job and I got Baby and he basically took over my life. And I really wanted a job where I could take Baby to work with me everyday,” said Hikida. “And I was out there looking. I couldn’t find it, so I started my own company for him.”
And little Tiana inspired Kelly Whealton to open Boutique of Paws.
“About five years ago I just started making clothing for my dog,” said Whealton. “I couldn’t find anything in the market that I really liked that was affordable and also fit her well, so I started experimenting. I could knit and I could sew, and it kind of evolved from there.”
Giving Tiana something to bark about.
- Shazia Khan
Luxury Pet Pavilion Spring ’08 Show a Howling Success
1,700+ Attendees and 80+ Exhibitors Representing 16 Countries Gather in Los Angeles
Kickoff Event Honors Dogs of the Silver Screen to Benefit Angel On a Leash
LUXURY PET PAVILION’s first standalone market has come to a close, marking a hugely successful launch for the enterprise, which travels next to Atlanta for their Fall ’08 show (August 2-3). Underscoring the success of the show, nearly 2,000 attendees gathered to view exhibits from 84 presenters in a 100% pet-friendly environment at Los Angeles’ Westin Bonaventure Hotel. Numerous foreign countries were represented at the show as well, with exhibitors and attendees flying in from as far away as Italy, Japan, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, the U.K., China, Canada, New Zealand, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Austria, Vanuatu and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“The attendance was more than we had imagined when we began planning this endeavor, and it is obvious we have struck an important chord within the pet industry,” said Stephanie Ellis who, along with partner Tammy Hansen, conceived and developed Luxury Pet Pavilion. “Our industry’s top merchandisers came with some of the most amazing products imaginable,” added Hansen. “We are grateful to everyone who supported the show and made it such a success.”
The show launched on Friday, February 22 with the establishment of the first-ever HOLLYWOOD DOG WALK OF FAME, at which nearly 40 vendors from the show were afforded the opportunity to feature products for attending press, including CNN International, TV Guide Channel and the Los Angeles Daily News. Actress Patrika Darbo (“Days of Our Lives,” “Charlie Wilson’s War”) revealed paw prints immortalizing seven pooches in the same way their human actor counterparts are remembered on Hollywood Blvd. The event marked the West Coast premiere of Angel On a Leash, the official charity of the Westminster Kennel Club. At the event, President David Frei spoke passionately about the work of Angel On A Leash, and the program’s strong impact. On behalf of the organization, Frei was also presented with a check for $2,500 by Luxury Pet Pavilion.
Saturday night included an awards event, in which trophies were presented for Best Booth, Best New Product and Best Dressed Dog. Live music was supplied by the band View From Everest, and the event was hosted by handsome television star Scott Elrod, from ABC’s “Men In Trees.” Press was there, including Megan Blake of “Animal Attractions,” for the Red Carpet entrances of dogs who turned out in their Sunday best for the “petworking” event.
Luxury Pet Pavilion is one of the nation’s premier shows for pet retailers – where “what’s in” for the pet industry is showcased and easily accessible. Created by Stephanie Ellis of Pawniquely Yours, Luxury Pet Pavilion is a traveling forum in which luxury pet manufacturers and purveyors of fine pet goods can conduct business with comfort and ease. The Fall ’08 show takes place August 2-3 at AmericasMart Atlanta, and will include education programs and other opportunities aimed at empowering pet professionals and bringing awareness to pets in need, thereby benefiting the entire pet industry. Luxury Pet Pavilion is the ultimate in industry pet shows. Complete information about the Fall ’08 Atlanta show can be found at www.luxurypetpavilion.com.
Sponsors for Luxury Pet Pavilion’s Spring ’08 show included Pet Style, the Pet Elite, Pet Business, Pet Product News International, Pet Style News, Pawniquely Yours, Paw Print, LA Tails Pet Magazine, Royal Hound Pet Products “The Throne,” and Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
