Funari combined lifestyle and fashion in its Spring/Summer 2023 collection for the New York Fashion Week show, featuring colorful, edgy and modern designs for both pets and their owners. Designer Janelle Funari took a leap with her daring doggie apparel to put on a dynamic show.

While having started as a performance wear brand in 2016, Funari has expanded to a bigger and brighter fashion market — pet attire. Sunglasses featured in this season’s collection for both people and their pets alluded to the line’s history as a performance and swimwear brand. 

The petwear line came out of Funari’s desire for high-end clothing for her French bulldog Maxine. Instead of outsourcing or lowering her bar for fashionable pet wear, Funari took matters into her own hands and designed her collection with recycled fabrics from Italy. The additional element of sustainability provided a sense of relief in the otherwise ostentatious scene of the venue.

Sony Hall’s decor transported attendees into a scene of luxury, with aquamarine and gold-flaked accents plastering the walls. Loyal supporters of the brand, the press and influencers with massive selfie sticks packed into the room to watch the show unfold. 

A single ray of light beamed down on the first model as she and her furry companion stepped onto the runway. She dazzled in a black and gold tiered mini dress, her dog adorned in the matching set. The models and their accompanying canines, wearing matching ensembles of everything from brightly colored tulle tutus to heavy leather jackets, began to strut down the runway. The slow, exaggerated walks exuded an aura of undeniable fierceness. As each model and pup hit the runway, roaring cheers ricocheted off the walls. Not many dogs could stay calm in a scene of that caliber — a few special canines may have liked the spotlight a little too much and refused to exit the stage.

The rest of the collection featured bright neons and heavily patterned coats in a unique blend of ‘80s aerobics gear and resort wear. Although a spring and summer collection, Funari’s line included heavy-weight jackets adorned in heaving studding and fringe details that would be perfect for the upcoming cold weather. Funari’s show had a welcoming effect, its audience feeling as if they were invited to a fashionable dance party rather than a NYFW runway. The tone of the show was casual, with models drastically changing up their manner of walking — some even broke out into freestyle dancing during their runway debuts.

The show concluded with Funari coming out to join her decked-out models and pets. Staying true to her use of in-your-face prints, Funari executed just that with her uniquely patterned designs within the show.

Contact Katherine Heglie at [email protected].