At the recently opened 3rd Shanghai Pet Fashion Week, the trend of pet ownership has evolved into a more refined and stylish endeavor. “Furry kids” were seen parading down the runway, all dressed up and ready for the spotlight.
According to Zhang Xin, General Manager of Shanghai International Fashion Center, the pet care sector has seen the emergence of various niche markets, including luxurious pet grooming, socializing with pets, and smart pet care. “These segments reflect a growing appreciation and enhancement of the pet care concept among consumers,” Zhang explained. With this rise in demand, numerous pet brands and businesses are increasingly being established.
This year’s Pet Fashion Week witnessed participation from over 100 brands globally, which is two to three times more than in previous years.
YOYO, the founder of GIGIWAWA pet clothing brand, has attended the event for three consecutive years. This year, she designed custom outfits for a very special set of guests: celebrity penguins Big Q and Little Q from Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park. “Designing pet clothing is more challenging than designing for humans,” YOYO shared. “The pet fashion industry is still quite new, lacking detailed specifications for apparel shapes. There’s no fine-tuned curriculum in schools, so brand designers have to develop it little by little.”
With the rising number of pet owners adopting not only cats and dogs but also non-traditional pets like rabbits and alpacas, YOYO has launched a bespoke collection. “We offer tailor-made outfits for pets, especially for exotic pets that often lack suitable clothing in stores. We provide on-site customization services,” she added.
I met the owner of a giant schnauzer at the fashion event, who mentioned that due to its size, she struggles to find perfectly fitting clothes. She views the custom pet clothing sector as a blue ocean market, noting, “The pet industry is gradually aligning with the human fashion industry. If humans have it, pets should too.”
Beyond clothing and accessories, the future looks bright for custom pet experiences. Xie Jinrong, Planning Director of Hengzhi Future (Chongqing) Innovation Technology Co., introduced their product called “Xiaotian,” an electronic dog that functions as a consumer-grade bionic smart robot capable of engaging in AI conversations. “It provides real and entertaining responses like a real dog,” he explained. Xie believes there’s significant potential in the pet market, as electronic pets can offer more choices to consumers in the traditional pet industry.
Shanghai, with its unique charm and abundant resources, offers fertile ground for pet fashion to flourish. “We hope the pet fashion industry can gradually establish an industrialized concept. This will not only enhance brand capabilities in innovation and revenue generation, but also allow consumers to enjoy higher-quality products and services. This is both our goal and a key opportunity for future growth,” Zhang Xin concluded.
