Designer Anthony Rubio unveils Pet Gala with 18 dogs on red carpet

Fashion designer Anthony Rubio unveils his version of the 2024 Met Gala, a canine twist on the event named the Pet Gala.

On 20 May, pedestrians walking down Park Avenue in New York City were treated to the sight of dogs rocking designer on a red carpet outside AKC’s Museum of the Dog. The canine fashion event was Rubio’s annual fundraising celebration, The Pet Gala, in which he recreates the designs worn at the 2024 Met Gala this year but for dogs instead.

“The night of the Met Gala, I’m sitting there taking notes and pictures,” Rubio told 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.”

“From there, I start going through the garments, the design,” he continued. “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.”

Taking inspiration from the looks donned for this year’s Met Gala’s theme “The Garden of Time,” Rubio created several of the looks for 18 dogs including a chihuahua paying homage to one of Zendaya’s John Galliano ensembles, a Pomeranian embracing a Jennifer Lopez-inspired inspired look, and a poodle decked out in a pet couture version of Bad Bunny’s Margiela suit.

Some other fashionable pups included a Pomeranian donning a baby blue suit evocative of Ed Sheeran‘s blue Stella McCartney suit as well as a Chorkie stunning in a version of Cardi B’s voluminous black Windowsen gown.

The designer crafted each of the outfits himself between 6 and 20 of May in a remarkably quick turnaround. He revealed that he had stayed up until 4 am the night before the Pet Gala, working on the finishing touches to the outfits.

This year’s Pet Gala was held at the Museum of the Dog for the first time, raising money for the museum, which showcases dog-centric art pieces. All guests were invited for a runway show and a dinner.

Dogs posed alongside models on the outdoor red carpet, with their human counterparts wearing complementary outfits that they would later wear in a runway show held inside the museum. As they posed in front of a floral backdrop, the models either held or walked the dogs.