     | september 10, 2010
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| september 10, 2010
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Fur on Fur: Le Chien Does Dogs With Style Catherine Price -- 08/16/2004  The fact that I have created an alter ego for myself might seem a bit strange but, in her defense, she really does dress quite well. Her name is Elizabeth Elkman, she is 26 years old, and she lives on Park Avenue. Her favorite designer is Chloe and she has a wonderful, if enigmatic, boyfriend who makes up for his late hours at Goldman Sachs by lavishing her with expensive gifts—most recently, a pair of puppies to keep her company while he is away on long business trips to Europe. Elizabeth is thrilled about the gift and has decided to name her new pets Babbo and Nobu, after her favorite New York City restaurants. As a woman who owns nearly fifty cashmere sweater sets, all in pastel, she simply can’t wait to choose outfits for these little darlings: jackets and carrying bags, color coordinated leash and collar sets. She can see it now—her, looking stunning in a slip dress from Yves Saint Laurent, strolling down Madison Avenue in her new Gucci shades, little Nobu and Babbo—both in matching Pucci prints—nipping at her kitten heels. The only problem is, Elizabeth knows nothing about owning dogs.I created Elizabeth last September when I was walking past Trump Plaza on 61st Street and Third Avenue and noticed a shop with puppies in the window. A sign above the door read Le Chien in careful script and something about the glittering chandelier, the polished marble floor, the monogrammed door mat and the tastefully arranged display of quilted leather dog carrying cases tantalized me, as if I were a Pomeranian puppy presented with a mound of steak tartar. After a man at the counter pressed a buzzer to unlock the door, I found myself in what Le Chien’s owner, Lisa Gilford, describes on her website as “a boutique and gem salon for dogs.” This description seemed fitting: I gawked at hand-crafted Petables dining tables by Millicent ($300 each), floral dog sofas ($400), and dog sweaters with faux ostrich or chinchilla trim ($195 and $350, respectively). I had stumbled into the world of New York’s super-rich, in which a single dog coat cost as much as my entire spring wardrobe and people paid more money to have their poodles’ toenails painted than I do for a week’s worth of groceries. An anecdote on Le Chien’s website perfectly sums up the shop’s purpose, its owner, and its clientele. “Recently,” it says, “a limo arrived with milady and poodle. She was desperate for a wet-look raincoat, or perhaps a faux-mink trimmed trench. Not a problem. Looking extraordinarily chic in a Chanel suit, Lisa gracefully selected several imported pieces that Coco herself could have designed.” A bold statement? Not really. Le Chien’s collection of canine fashions is as varied as Kate Spade’s fall collection: overalls for a casual day spent lounging in the Hamptons ($135), fatigues for aggressive Chihuahuas ($125), Burberry-like wool coats to match this winter’s hottest scarves ($195), Vintage Denim coats for canine rebels without a cause ($195). I turned away, stupefied, only to be seduced by the silky satin of Le Chien’s exclusive doggie kimonos, each $205 and a display case, featuring more fake fur, with a placard encouraging customers to “Think Mink.” end of page 1 [ 1 ] read more ... [ 2 ][ 3 ][ 4 ] |
