Urban Elegance, The New Collection

With summer around the corner it is time to launch a lighter collection. I am so excited. Warm weather means dogs go more places and are seen more often. When I sat down at the sketch board to design my newest collection - Urban Elegance, these are the considerations I had in mind.

Phantom Harness, Lexi Harness and New York Harness

1) A dog wears his fashion for the duration of their lifetime.  So each piece is an investment and it should be durable, functional and beautiful.  I also added season-less to the bowl!

The Kenzo Set (Harness and Belly Band)

2) Many countries are not yet into Dog Clothing per se. With that in mind, I will design great harnesses and Couture Carriers.

The Phantom Tote Bag and Matching Harness

3)  The social dog goes places, attends events blends in with people and therefore, I would like for their style to represent their owners and pair up with human fashion so there is no clash!

After putting these three major points on my visual board, I sat down armed with charcoal and colored pencils and began sketching away. The theme for this collection is the Urban Lifestyle. I am totally seduced by the upbeat elegance of Metropolitans.  Practical + Stule = Metro Elegant.

Dressing up for the city life means keeping accessories, details haute and investing in quality elements. I love how color is added to solid canvases.  I also love how color is washed and less vibrant so it travels through time.

So here's a toast, Cosmo of course, to my newest intense, uplifted, totally gorgeous Summer 2011Collection of Canine Couture.  On with the new.  Old ideals, new ideas!

Reinvent your Dog!

Kiki
info@kikihamann.com

The Phantom Tote and Matching Harness

This is a gorgeous tote, and you don't even have to have a dog to have it! Wish the pictures would do it justice so you could see the complexity of the design. It is made from three different black fabrics: A heavy matte brocade, a satiny thin stripped and a larger satiny striped as well. The fabrics are put together so best accentuate each one's properties. It is really beautiful! To this medley in black I have added two beautiful Lacey trims for yet more texture, they frame the fabric composition accentuating the differences.

It is from my new line Urban Elegance and it is all about the buzz of the city. Please notice how I play with the negative spaces in this brocade composition. Chains add pizazz to the modern lines of the tote. It is black, it goes with every color. It is super!

The handles of the tote were planned so you can either carry it over your shoulder and have puppy next to you, or to carry it on your arm and stroll around showing it off.

This tote also features two side pockets for your sunglasses, wallet, leashes, cell phones, keys, etc. It comes with a light weight safety chain that can easily be clipped to the back of a harness.

A matching harness makes it just city perfect!

I have created The Tote for all the dogs that understand their royalty status. Yes, they like to be carried around (never ever left behind), don’t really do well in leashes and demand comfort. I have also created it for the humans like me with a fondness for practical products that remain functional while being haute. This handbag is all of the above and then some. It is hop in-hop out practical and always ready to go.

It is all about the details!

I spent a long time designing this tote. It had to be perfect all the way. The perfect size, the perfect shape. I chose to give it an oval shape so doggie is as comfortable lying down as standing up. The bag sits right under your arm, so your baby feels secure and safe at all times and you have her / him right under your vigilant eye. It is light and feels very comfortable when you wear it over your shoulder.

The bag is engineered in four layers, which means a lot of sewing time, no short cuts and hours of hand stitching. On the other hand, this hard work translates into perfect shaping and durability.

Two large side pockets for your trinkets!

The inside of the tote is lined with a soft mattress, making great bedding on the go. The fuzzy lining can be pulled out for easy spot cleaning. A safety chain attached to a d-ring allows you to clip your baby to the handbag.

My goal for my new Totes is to bring the same couture treatment I have devoted to my garments into a practical, easy to handle carrier that loves going places and getting attention!

Styling Your Dog Goes Beyond Clothing!

We got up early this morning and headed straight to Miramar to visit Charliston and Shirley at The Pet Club. Kenzo was due for a new look worthy of my new collection and I wouldn’t trust him to anybody but the only Pet Stylists in the Miami area. Yes, that’s right, pet stylist is exactly who they are, much more than just groomers.

As you walk into their Shop, a delightful Spa / Boutique, you are immediately struck by color! Yes, bright Brazilian colors completely fill the place with so much charm, energy, bringing a boost of happiness to any breathing being. Charliston and Shirley are indeed people of color.

They work their magic that goes beyond just using their clippers. Charliston, takes Kenzo from my hands, hugs him and analyzes carefully the work in progress. It had been months since he had had his last grooming and my fur ball is in desperate need for some serious styling. Kenzo is to become the new face of Kiki Hamann. The transformation is about to happen. Shirley runs to the back room and comes back with a pile of books on Poodle grooming. She illustrates with pictures all the ideas they have in mind. It is so visual and easy to understand, my grooming anxiety quietly fades out! I am so relieved to be dealing with professionals. We decide on a shorter cut to enhance my fashion. We keep his pom poms for extra charm (my French heart needs the pom poms) and we style his ear to tassels for added personality.

We leave our boy in the careful hands of our experts and go out for a bite. I can’t wait to see my Kenzo, transformed! Oh My, and what a beautiful transformation.
He looks exactly how I wanted him to look. He is elegant, he looks smart, stylish and metropolitan. The barking picture of my new collection!

Thank you Charliston and Shirley,
My very personal pet stylist, for the awesome job. Now I need a professional photographer to shoot our model . Shooting a black dog is not easy!

Muah!

The pet club is located in Miramar , FL
http://www.thepetclubfl.net/

All thumbs up, I totally recommend!

The Tote

I have created The Tote for all the dogs that understand their royalty status. Yes, they like to be carried around (never ever left behind), don’t really do well in leashes and demand comfort.  I have also created it for the humans like me with a fondness for practical products that remain functional while being haute.  This handbag is all of the above and then some.  It is hop in hop out practical and always ready to go.   

I spent a long time designing this tote. It had to be perfect all the way. The perfect size, the perfect shape.  I chose to give it an oval shape so doggie is as comfortable lying down as standing up.  The bag sits right under your arm, so your baby feels secure and safe at all times and you have her / him right under your vigilant eye. It is light and feels very comfortable when you wear it over your shoulder.

The bag is engineered in four layers, which means a lot of sewing time, no short cuts and hours of hand stitching.  On the other hand, this hard work translates into perfect shaping and durability.

The inside of the tote is lined with a soft mattress, making great bedding on the go.  The fuzzy lining can be pulled out for easy spot cleaning.  A safety chain attached to a d-ring allows you to clip your baby to the handbag.

My goal for my new Totes is to bring the same couture treatment I have devoted to my garments into a practical, easy to handle carrier that loves going places and getting attention!

The Victoria Tote is the first of a series to come. These are the first pieces of my 2011 Summer Collection.

Madison Ave with Very Haute Canines

It is 29º F in Manhattan, and a few hours from arriving all the way from Miami. Here we are my friend Darsey and I strolling down Madison Ave with our very chic Canines, Millie LaRue and Miu Miu. The scene is so Metropolitan perfect! The dogs are sporting their Kiki Hamann Fur Coats made just for the occasion! Ahhh Manhattan never misses the unpredictable!

Posing the dogs under such harsh weather is no easy task, especially when so many walkers cannot help but stop to greet the elegant pooches. There are clicks coming from android phones, cameras of all nature, iPods, Blackberries. We are indeed causing a commotion. My heart fills with warmth from witnessing my Canine Fashion getting all the attention.

Suddenly a man, as if provided by the universe, comes running our way at speed of light. He throws himself on the floor and tells us with confidence, “I will get the shot!” The man is photographer Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York (www.humansofnewyork.com). I will remember this moment forever. Brandon is fun, full of energy, with a superhuman eye for what's happening. He is the buzz!
On his website he mentions “ The crowd has a face” and I will add to that… and the city has an EYE!

 

And this is where Brandon met us

 

Miu Miu Hamann, the Chihuahua and Millie LaRue, the Yorkie

Best Friends and International Top Models. The models are wearing the Manhattan Coat by Kiki Hamann

Darsey holds her Millie and my Miu Miu

Countdown to Canine Couture

This is it!  The evening dog lovers have been waiting for!  Tonight at The Mediterranean Mansion on South Beach is celebrity designer Kiki Hamann's Unleashed Love event.

Last night at South Beach's Kone restaurant, Kiki Hamann hosted a pre-event party complete with haute dogs, fabulous food and drink.  Those in attendance experienced the best Japanese sushi infused with a touch of Brazilian excitement and Kiki's charming personality.

Kiki with Millie LaRue & Darsey.

Gorgeous Kiki fur.  

If you've never had the pleasure of meeting Kiki in person, let me just tell you what she's like.  She's so easy-going, classy and down-to-earth.  She has exquisite taste and a love for dogs that runs very deep.  She's generous, caring and intelligent.  All of these characteristics translate swimmingly to her designs.  Nothing tacky or cheesy here.  Just sheer elegance.  Period.

And, to have a Kiki product for your precious little one is like having Kiki herself love and hold your sweet dog.  I can't think of anything better.

Lily of the Valley dress as modeled by Millie LaRue.

So.  Stay tuned.  I'll have amazing photographs of tonight's event, including some behind-the-scenes shots and insight into what makes Kiki tick.

~Carole

Blog writer & photographer.