Bored Panda reached out to Oil Port, who shared what inspired her to create DOGUE.
“DOGUE magazine started as a digital art project for fun, in 2019, and then it became so popular that I decided to create an actual magazine. The idea was to create the world's first dog fashion magazine, in style of Vogue, that would focus on modern dog fashion and lifestyle. Today, DOGUE magazine is leading the way for dog fashion and beauty. It is known for its carefully curated editorial content and fashion photography. We feature celebrity dogs, Instagram furfluencers from all over the world, seasonal fashion trends, as well as new and exciting dog brands and collections. Our magazine is an 85-to-100-page publication that comes out every few months, and is available in digital and print. Print copies are shipped worldwide, and can be ordered from our website at thedoguemagazine.com. We have 21 issues so far.”
We were wondering how the world of dog fashion has evolved since DOGUE was founded in 2019. Port wrote: “In 2019, dog fashion was still considered a ‘niche market’. There were very few designer dog collections, like Goyard, for example, but, mostly, there were smaller dog shops that were offering specialized dog collections.
Today, dog fashion is mainstream and most luxurious designer houses have their own pet collections. Brands like Versace, Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Louboutin and Emilio Pucci offer their own pet collections. Dolce & Gabbana released a dog perfume mist last year. So, it's no longer a niche. Dog fashion and beauty is pretty standard these days. Even for those dogs who don't play fashion, they most likely own a sweater for colder days, a pair of shoes for hikes, a rain coat for rainy days, and a selection of dog collars, harnesses and leashes.”
Working with canine celebrities is definitely a unique experience. We wanted to know who the most memorable "furfluencers" featured in the magazine were.
“Our biggest dog celebrity so far was Bobby Costner, the famous pup of the legendary Kevin Costner, whom we featured on the cover of our holiday issue, this past Christmas. And, our upcoming Spring issue will be featuring Rufus Johnson, the celebrity pup of Don Johnson, and the actor of the iconic dog film A Boy and His Dog,” wrote Port.
Port also shared what goes into curating the editorials and photography to make each issue of DOGUE visually stunning.
“A lot of work, that's for sure! DOGUE is still mostly a one-girl project (myself), but I do have amazingly talented people that I work with. I have a stylist, a fashion designer, and lots of dog photographers from all over the world, who help me curate magic. We also get a lot of submissions which helps a lot, because I don't have to search for content, it usually comes to me. I've been doing photography, graphic design and writing for the past 20 years, and that helps too!”
As for the future, Port commented on how she sees DOGUE’s role in shaping the dog fashion industry.
“I believe that dog fashion and the pet industry is booming, and I feel like DOGUE offers a unique platform for this type of market. Our goal is to stay at the forefront of this exciting new industry and promote new developments in fashion, and technology as they come. We love featuring dog creatives, and dog models, and we hope to spread dog love all over the world.”
Lastly, Port added: “We have a mobile app on iOS and Android called ‘Coverdogs’ that allows people to create their own digital DOGUE covers! We also have @Coverdogs community on Instagram where we feature daily DOGUE covers. This is also where dog accounts can commission their own covers and features. We also host fun, monthly virtual events on @coverdogs to raise money for the ASPCA.”
