PETALING JAYA, Feb 8 — Humans aren’t the only ones who can show off pretty outfits during Chinese New Year reunion dinners.
Our furry friends can get glammed up as well and there is a growing trend of dog owners dressing up their pets to usher in the festive season.
For one Penang-based dog lover, designing outfits for dogs started as a passion project which then turned into her very own pet boutique.
Xiao You, also known as Yenn, started the online brand Furry Closet in 2016 after she realised that many Chinese New Year dog clothes available online were unsuitable for pets living in Malaysia’s tropical humid climate.
Instead of buying these outfits, which were often made in China, Yenn and her family decided to start sewing clothes for their three dogs, Miler, Wonz, and Browny.
“During Chinese New Year, it’s winter (in China) so the dog clothes are quite thick and not suitable for our country.
“My family and I decided to sew some simple singlets for my dogs instead and from there, my friends suggested that I start a business because many dog owners here are looking for nice clothes for their pets too,” Yenn, 30, told Malay Mail.
Furry Closet comes out with a different Chinese New Year collection each year that has included cute cheongsams, shiny samfus, and even a full-fledged lion dance costume.
The lion dance costume came with a matching head accessory and was one of the most complex and detailed outfits to make, with each piece taking at least 14 days to complete.
Yenn gets inspiration for her designs from the patterns and silhouettes of Chinese traditional clothing as well as children’s apparel, which she then adapts to fit the bodies of our four-legged friends.
For 2021, she has come out with a range of brightly-hued bowties so dogs can look their best when welcoming the Year of the Ox.
The price of one bowtie ranges from RM40 to RM50 depending on the size.
Each Furry Closet piece is designed with love by Yenn and handmade by her mum and aunt, who are both skilled seamstresses.
Since the items are crafted by hand, Yenn said it can take three to five days to complete an accessory like a bowtie while outfits can take up to seven to 10 days.
Furry Closet also sets itself apart from other pet boutiques in Malaysia by customising each outfit and accessory according to the customer’s measurements to ensure the perfect fit.
Besides Chinese New Year, the brand occasionally releases special collections for other festive seasons such as Christmas and Halloween.
For each piece she designs, Yenn pays extra attention to quality so that the dogs will feel comfortable whenever they’re playing dress up.
“The clothes must be lightweight because at the end of the day, dogs are dogs and they don’t normally wear clothes the way humans do.
“If you want to dress them up, it must not feel heavy otherwise it will be uncomfortable for them.
“The fabric is also important because if you choose a fabric with a rough texture, it might damage their fur or coat.”
Yenn added that hygiene is another important factor and advised pet owners to wash dog clothes regularly to avoid irritating their furkid’s skin.
Running a pet boutique for the past five years also came with its challenges as Yenn got to grips with customer service and catering to each dog’s specific needs.
Confusion over measurements can sometimes result in a less than perfect fit but Yenn takes these hurdles into her stride by learning how to communicate with her customers better.
She has also helped out less tech-savvy customers in their 40s and 50s with ordering her products online.
One of the most memorable experiences of running Furry Closet for Yenn was when she got to design clothes for a customer’s dogs to wear on her wedding day.
She ended up custom making a dress and suit for the customer’s furbabies so they could play the role of flower girl and page boy on the big day.
Her biggest reward is seeing how cute her customers’ pets look when wearing her clothes and getting positive feedback from them about her designs.
“There’s a great sense of satisfaction when I see my customers’ pets wearing the clothes and hearing that the clothes look pretty and they fit well on the dog.
“That’s the best part,” she said.
With the amount of love she pours into each Furry Closet design, Yenn hopes that Malaysians will be able to appreciate the value of handcrafted goods and support local businesses more in the future.
“I think people here are more focused on price. Many people think handmade goods are too expensive and not worth paying for.
“If something is customised and handmade by a designer, I think there’s value there and hopefully more people can see that in the future.”
If you’re interested in getting a new outfit for your furry friend this Chinese New Year, you can check out Furry Closet’s Facebook and Instagram.
