Handbags for Pet Lovers
FuzzyNation's sculpted handbags look like your fave breedby Scott Rose
Jennifer Liu of the fabulously dog-centric company Fuzzy Nation (www.fuzzynation.com) found her true calling at a Homefront America showing of goods. Everyone at the show, instead of paying rapt attention to the chandeliers Jennifer was offering for sale, went crazy in the best of all possible ways over her personal, homemade Bichon-Frise-shaped pocketbook. Not a dog carrier; in essence, a ladies' handbag that looked just like a pooch.
Fuzzy's MBA-tottin' Jennifer Liu also used to work for L'Oreal. Jennifer was going to be attending an evening affair for L'Oreal, and, wanting to make a splash, produced her first ever animal-shaped handbag through the fetching conversion of a stuffed toy having the form of a black cat. The conversion included an attaching of jewels to the black cat pocketbook. Dear reader: can there be any doubt that this Jennifer is our kinda gal?
The aforementioned Bichon-Frise-shaped pocketbook, Jennifer made for herself as a day bag. The clamoring over it at the Homefront America showing led to the development of seven puppy models for a July, 2005 gift show in Atlanta, and then Fuzzy Nation shipped their first dogs in October 2005. Fast-forward to July 2008, to Cannes on the French Riviera, the Cote d'Azur, where Madonna is seen, causing a commotion, sporting Fuzzy Nation doggy handbags. Other journalists reporting on Fuzzy Nation's products seem always to sneak in some sniggering remark about how these dog-themed fashion must-haves are extremely cute, "but but but," but all I can say is that the newsprint of those nay-saying, "but but but" journalists' articles has a place immediately underneath our doggies derrieres when nature doth call. I mean, c'mon: Madonna is rocking her Fuzzy Nation accessories, so hang up that tired, drool-spewing rhetoric about Fuzzy Nation not being cool in every single situation. From the seminal inspiration of a black cat, to Madonna in Cannes in just a few years - any Poodle, Irish wolfhound, or Cavalier King Charles Spaniel can see that Groucho Marx was correct when he said "the animal is going somewhere." And if dogs can see it, then Homo so-called sapiens should be able to, too, even if they're journalists writing for the New York Times.
The company's haut de gamme (high-end) line is Fuzzy Nation Couture. Behold the Bronze Pug, with an adjustable leather strap, and a determinedly independent, yet emotionally needy Pug expression. Or look at the Gold Chihuahua: with her beautifully detailed leather, four paws and a tail - yes indeedee, she is a fashion-forward handbag - and yet, she looks like she's readying herself for a merry jump into your lap. These Couture bags were produced in limited editions of about 400 pieces of each model. Others featured in this enchanting collection include the Orange Snakeskin Boston and the Black Patent Dachshund.
But let's say you're going to a gala evening, and want to make the ultimate anti-dead-animal-used-as-a-coat statement. Fuzzy Nation's doggy stoles would be just the thing. (You'll fur-give me for not mentioning the Kitty Stole.) There's a Pomeranian, a Schnauzer and a Pug stole. Each is forty inches long, each is a disturbing likeness of an actual dog refashioned into a luxury stole, and yet, each is made from faux fur. As you stand at the gala sipping champagne, and who can say, maybe even offering some to that little red tongue protruding from your Schnauzer stole's head, people will know what you think about wearing mink, fox, rabbit or whoever. These pieces are creative and elegant, if in a whimsical yet confident and sexy way - which explains why Madonna hearts Fuzzy Nation so much.
Regarding the company name, Jennifer says this: "I loved it for its ambiguity. I think our nation is a bit fuzzy at the moment. I also believe a nation of fuzzy loveable creatures is where we would all want to live." This writer lifts a diamond-studded golden water bowl in a toast to that. You read it here first; our Zeitgeist is officially fuzzy.
There is a Fuzzy Nation retail outlet at an upscale center in Lafayette, New Jersey. A gourmet K-9 pal of mine can't bark enough good things about The Village Barkery, a purveyor of organic hand-made treats in the same center. Whether you're buying in person or online, though, it's fun to consider that Fuzzy Nation also has a leisure line aimed mainly but not exclusively at the younger set. The well-groomed sweetness of the Yorkie-shaped handbag exemplifies this line, known as Love on a Leash. Style hallmarks of the collection include a crystal paw insignia and silk linings with a dragonfly motif. Jennifer points out that the Fuzzy Nation and the Love on a Leash pocketbooks "have articulating legs, so when not in use, they can stand on a shelf or atop the bar when you are having a drink... you meet everyone that way."
Looking out at the Fuzzy Nation horizon, I see nothing but dogs, good dogs, and very, very good dogs. The company will soon launch a website, accessible from the FN homepage, detailing the lives of pedigree show dogs. Jennifer describes that venture as "a pup culture dogumentary." Gives one paws for thought, n'est-ce paw? Then too, Jennifer and Colleen are engaged in designing celebrity dog look-alikes, to be auctioned at a charity event in the late fall of 2008. If on the one side, you could lament that the nation is fuzzy, on the other side you could look at the silver lining and conclude that the nation couldn't possibly be fuzzy enough. Not so incidentally, Fuzzy Nation's clever doggy-shaped human lunch boxes have a silver vinyl lining. To quote Groucho Marx again, "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." However true that may be, a girl could do a lot worse than to transport her reading material in one of Fuzzy Nation's, proud-to-be-a-dog-lover, high fashion K-9-shaped carrying bags. Jennifer sums up the spirit of the whole enterprise, visible in all of these fun products, by saying "We never cease to be amazed at the power of the pooch... the joy dogs bring to people all over the world is immeasurable."
