人玩寵物玩得愈來愈花費、愈來愈豪華、愈來愈瘋癲。美國人2013年為寵物花費五百五十七億美元，多過德國國防年度花費，等同克羅地亞全國一年國內生產總值GDP！

美國人養寵物最新潮流是：Couture Dogs，即是「高級時裝狗」！即是以最高級的衣著去為自己的寵物狗打扮。一些美國人花超級多錢去為寵物打扮，窮奢極侈，令人咋舌。

這些高級狗主舉辦“pawties" 與“barkmitzvahs" ，即「高級狗派對」，又每年舉辦紐約寵物Fashion Show（時裝展）。 這時，「寵物時裝設計師」當然應運而生，成為炙手可熱新寵。新進「寵物時裝設計師」紅星包括Bandit Rubio Designs by Anthony Rubio 、Hec-Lin Couture by Roberto Negrin和 Ada Nieves for Pets等等。他們的傑作有：「芝娃娃貓王裝」，連貓王假髮；又有各式珠片晚禮服、「低胸舞會長裙」、孔雀毛晚裝等等，售價約四、五千港元一件！這些上等人又為狗狗們舉辦高級婚禮"puptials"，當然都是「世紀夢幻式婚禮」了。

為甚麼紐約上等人這麼愛為寵物打扮呢？他們大都有本身愛打扮，是時裝潮流追隨者，派對是他們生活主要部分，所以他們愛屋及烏，也為自己的寵物作最尖端最潮流的打扮。嘩……真是無話可說。

Some dogs here are married via events called "puptials," and scandalously "couldn't keep their paws off each other at the shoot.” Nathan himself doesn’t own any dogs (but he does have two daughters under age three whom he likes to dress up and photograph).

is the event of the year. The photographer also met the canine couturiers who craft these insane tiny getups, which range from chihuahua Elvis costumes (wig included) to $500 beaded ballgowns to fanned tails made from real peacock feathers. “It goes without saying that I very quickly shifted the focus of my book,” he says.

OfNewYork

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星島日報, 2014

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