Dolce & Gabbana launches its first fragrance for dogs, and dog owners are all ears

Perched well on her stool, she poses for the camera in the spotlight while assistants brush her hair and pamper her on set. There is applause. Action! It’s not a big movie star in the middle of a shoot, but Fefe, Domenico Dolce’s dog, playing a model for an ad campaign. And not anyone. the Italian fashion designer’s pet is the face of Dolce & Gabbana’s first scented mist for dogs. She also shares the poster with a dachshund, a bichon frize and even a miniature spitz who join her in the photo shoot.

A controversial start

The commercial of the luxury brand posted on social networks does not fail to attract the attention of the Internet users, who are happy with the news. “I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time, I don’t like the scents of my hair. this is perfect”, “Finally someone invented this product”, “I already want this for my pet”, “Does my puppy have one? is this necessary? No Would I buy this? Absolutely yes,” “Oh my god, I need this for my dog,” “This concept is so adorable,” “Take my money, my dogs need this,” “Must try,” some raved in the comments. the post.

However, that is not PETA’s opinion. The International Association for the Protection of Animal Rights expressed its serious concern in a press release sent to AFP on Thursday, August 8, assessing that “spraying dogs with human-pleasing perfumes can significantly disturb them. This is especially because dogs “have hundreds of millions of extra receptors in their nostrils and can smell 10,000 to 100,000 times better than humans,” explained PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk. Therefore, scents sprayed on their fur “can cause irritation and stress and interfere with their ability to detect other odors in their environment and interact with other animals,” he said. At this time, D&G has not yet responded to these concerns.

A “perfectly safe” product

To reassure dog welfare advocates even before this announcement, the brand already stated in its initial press release that the formula is “perfectly safe for the skin and eyes of our canine companions,” in addition to being certified by Safe Pet Cosmetics. , the only protocol that applies the same safety standards as for human cosmetics. The product was also designed under the supervision of ethologists (scientific experts who study animal behavior) with the approval of veterinarians.

On the olfactory side, the perfume, developed by French master perfumer Emilie Koperman, combines the warm and comforting notes of ylang-ylang, musk that gives a “clean” scent and milky sandalwood. It’s enough to deodorize these balls of hair between trips to the groomer…much to their owner’s happiness, at least. Because, as for those who are mainly concerned, it is difficult to know whether this fragrant ritual is really necessary and pleasant for them.

A truly exclusive item, the perfume, which retails for €99, comes in a green glass bottle adorned with a red metal cap and decorated with a 24-carat gold-plated dog paw motif. Residents of Paris or visitors to the capital can now discover and test the products at Printemps(1), where a Dolce & Gabbana Beauty pop-up has just opened, open to pets and their owners to mark the launch.

Beauty for everyday animals, a new fashionable business.

This launch may not be as unusual and imaginative as it seems. Indeed, pet owners no longer hesitate to invest in the care and well-being of their four-legged friends, so much so that the market for “pet care” (French for “animal welfare”) is expected to reach $236.2 billion. 2030, according to the American marketing research company Grand View Research Inc.

The phenomenon has not escaped the attention of beauty brands exploring this universe. Recently, American hair care brand Ouai, sold at Sephora, has created a pet version of its new shampoo. On another note, last April Rare Beauty, Selena Gomez’s cosmetics brand, caused a stir on social media by marketing dog toys in the form of mascaras and blushes inspired by the range’s makeup products. Precursors to the field, Nordic grooming brand L:A Bruket’s dog shampoo and Australian pet brand Aésop had already been on the shelves for a decade.

(1) Féfé Fragrance Mist by Dolce & Gabbana is available exclusively at Dolce & Gabbana boutiques and www.dolcegabbana.com, as well as at Printemps à Paris in a pop-up from August 1st to September 9th.