On Monday night, pedestrians walking along New York City’s Park Avenue stopped in their tracks as they noticed unusually well-dressed dogs posing on a red carpet outside AKC’s Museum of the Dog. Staring at the spectacle, they brandished their phones to capture the moment as they wondered aloud what was transpiring.
Behold the Pet Gala: Fashion designer Anthony Rubio’s annual fundraising celebration in which he recreates celebrities’ Met Gala outfits — for dogs. The Pet Gala was held at the Museum of the Dog for the first time this year, inviting guests for a runway show and a dinner. The event raised money for the museum, which showcases dog-focused art.
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The gala featured 16 dogs dressed in pet couture inspired by the 2024 Met Gala‘s dress code of “The Garden of Time.” A chihuahua recreated one of Zendaya’s looks. A Pomeranian dressed up à la Jennifer Lopez. A poodle kitted out as Bad Bunny, complete with similar sunglasses. A Chinese crested’s look was inspired by Gayle King’s custom Marchesa gown. Rubio crafted all of the outfits himself in the brief turnaround between the first Monday of the month and May 20, staying up until 4 a.m. the night before the dog fashion event.
“The night of the Met Gala, I’m sitting there taking notes and pictures,” Rubio explained to The Hollywood Reporter. “I don’t allow any disturbances because I watch the Met Gala religiously every year. And I study up everything about it. As soon as the show is over, I make a list of different garments that stand out to me.”
Rubio continued, “From there, I start going through the garments, the design. How can I interpret that for a dog? Remember, this is something to celebrate the dogs. It’s also to celebrate the designers that present at the Met Gala. This is not to make fun. This is a very serious matter.”
The dogs posed on the outdoor red carpet alongside models wearing complementary gowns and suits; they later participated in a runway show held inside the museum. The models held or walked the dogs while stopping to pose against a variety of floral backdrops.
Dog owner Morgan Avila is no stranger to show business; her pets have acted alongside Denzel Washington in The Equalizer. At the 2024 Pet Gala, her one-year-old Leonberger named Superman was wearing a sparkling silver outfit with a glittering crystal collar, in a nod to Irina Shayk’s Swarovski-adorned dress. Elsewhere, a Pomeranian was wearing a baby blue suit reminiscent of Ed Sheeran‘s blue Stella McCartney suit, while a Chorkie embodied Cardi B’s voluminous black gown by Windowsen.
There were also influencer dogs participating in the event, including a Canadian chihuahua known online as Yoda L’Explorateur. His owner, Dominique Blaine, says of their popularity, “I am myself, and I just kind of share our life together, just all the good we do to people around us. And I think that’s what people love about it.”
Donning a small white jacket, Yoda was dressed as Colman Domingo, the Rustin and The Color Purple actor who became known for his fashion statements during this year’s awards season. On participating in the gala, Blaine said, “It’s really kind of a fairy tale for us. It’s so cool that my dog makes me live these experiences because I’m not truly a fashion person in life, but with my dog now I just live a very cool life.”
The Pet Gala is also the subject of a documentary produced by Kevin Lopez under his South Shore Films banner. Lopez and his crew have been following Rubio for over a year and were present at the 2024 Pet Gala capturing footage for the project. Hoping to market the completed film by the end of the year, Lopez is excited to put out a family-friendly project that multiple generations can appreciate.
Lopez told THR, “We think that this story really is going to resonate with many people —not just pet lovers, not just fashion lovers, but people that just want a wholesome, good story that they can connect to in such a crazy and scary time.”
Museum of the Dog CEO and executive director Christopher E. Bromson saw it as a “no brainer” to host the Pet Gala. Moreover, the museum will feature an exhibition of Rubio’s Pet Gala designs.
“I hope that when people see the exhibition, they take away just some delight and joy,” Bromson said. “These pieces are so intricate and beautiful. And just to understand the amount of work that goes into it and the inspiration — Anthony truly draws inspiration from fashion and the art that is fashion.”
What’s the most rewarding part of the experience for Rubio?
“The smiles on everybody’s faces,” he said. “I do this to make everybody happy, because this world right now, in the state that we’re in, there’s too many bad things happening. Everything’s negative, there’s clouds over everybody’s heads. Everybody’s angry. So I do this to elevate happiness and to bring some light into the world.”
He hopes people are inspired when they see his work on display: “Anything is possible if you put your heart and your mind to it. If you really want to do something, don’t talk about it —do it.”
