Dressing up your furry companion has become a new trend. With a wide range of designs to choose from, there is something in place for everyone. MUSBA HASHMI tells you more

From pet friendly cafes to spas to day cares and to hotels, the industry is gradually turning pet-friendly, realising the importance of a furry friend in life. Now, it’s time for pet clothing. Yes, you read that right. Your furry friend can too flaunt a funky T-shirt just like you do — without compromising on their comfort.

The apparel brand — Ruse, is offering T-shirts, jackets and coats for your pets. Founded by a 31-year-old Delhi-based man — Vikram Dhir, who is an animal lover himself, the brand promises to provide full comfort to the animals.

Dhir’s experience of working in the apparel industry and coming from a apparel business background helped him coming up with Ruse.

“I have always been an animal lover and I am fortunate enough to grow up in a home that welcomed dogs. My family business is manufacturing and exporting high-fashion apparel. It gained me a sound knowledge of the garment industry and how it works. Initially, I started Ruse as an apparel brand in June, 2017 that specialised in T-shirts for humans. But, I always wanted to do something unconventional and wanted to find an interesting way to combine my passion for business with my love for animals. Soon after I got involved in the family business I was united with Elvis — a 6-year-old golden retriever, who inspired me to take the brand a notch higher and diversify into the pet space. Slowly we pivoted into a brand not just for humans, but also for their furry companions. I have been always conscious of the fact that most people are just as passionate about their pets as I am. Taking inspiration from Elvis, Ruse evolved into a full-fledged pet brand in December, 2017. And that’s how we managed to create a unique product line that fused my love and passion for both animals and apparel,” he says.

Though some vets say that apparel’s are not meant for animals, Dhir has different take on that.

“Being a dog owner and lover, I’m very particular about the research we put into the products we’re making. It depends entirely on the breed of the dog, the weather conditions and the quality of the products in question. We have consciously created separate collections for summer and winter and our products have been designed and constructed keeping in mind that dogs normally have a higher body temperature. All our pet products are made from organic cotton, structured and stitched to make sure they’re anti-chafing. We’ve created seven size patterns with adjustable utility velcro strips around the tummy area so as to fit all dog breeds comfortably, without causing them annoyance and irritation. Also, the bottom and top lengths have been thoughtfully designed to ensure that the clothes don’t get dirty while the dogs are attending to nature’s calls — which is a big problem that Elvis too faced with all the existing products. And all our printing is done with DuPont Pigment inks that are water based. So, it’s very safe and easy to use,”he tells you.

The USP of Ruse’s pet wear collection is what that sets it apart from all the other brands in the market.

“For starters, we enable the pet owners to get custom printed apparel for their pets and themselves, which we feel, in this day and age of DIY everything, is much needed. Our products are designed to be extremely easy to put on the pets, reducing the pet parent’s inconvenience. All our fit patterns are tried, tested and perfected on pets in various sizes before being put into production. Quality checked at five stages, our product fits are consciously designed to avoid any kind of annoyance, displeasure or irritation to the animals and to provide maximum utility and mobility for the pet,” he explains and adds that the brand have a “customer first” attitude. They offer a hassle free 15-day exchange/return policy which allows the customers to return the product in case of any discomfort. 

Dhir says that there are many reasons why one can opt for clothing for their pets. First, these products serve multiple purposes like providing a stress free solution to the hair-shedding problem by trapping the hair from furry breeds inside the clothes. Second, they help in protecting the animals from ticks and fleas. Third, it also help cover wounds, prohibiting your pets from constantly licking or biting the same. Four, the winter collection helps protect the pets from extremely cold conditions.

Ruse not only offers collection for dogs but for cats too. The price varies from Rs 500 to Rs 2000 depending upon the design and size.

Though, the brand has established itself and is receiving a lot of positive response from the customers, it’s not the end for Dhir’s aspirations.

“We have a lot of interesting ideas in the pipeline ranging from bespoke pet wear to customised accessories. For most pet owners, their pets are like their babies, so we want to evolve into a product line, which enables every pet owner to let their pets have a wardrobe of their own,” he tells you.