A small dog is dressed in a kilt at the 'Dressed to Kilt' fashion show in New York April 3, 2006. From a Chihuahua in a white Marilyn Monroe dress to a bulldog in a purple net tutu, the dogs of New York today are as well dressed as their owners. At a dog fashion show last week at one of New York's hottest clubs, waiters circled the room with glass bowls of dog food as well-groomed young people sipped cocktails and their dogs sniffed out new friends at the bar. Preparations for the show, which raised money for an animal rescue center, were as chaotic as any fashion event, with some new problems. "There's a lot more barking and a lot more interesting smells," said Stella Keitel, daughter of actor Harvey Keitel. Stella Keitel was among those walking with the canine models on the catwalk. "I'm watching where I step." Pet fashions are big business, with major retailers such as Target producing lines of clothing and accessories and boutique stores opening in swanky districts of New York. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 63 percent of U.S. households own a pet and total spending on pets -- including food, vet care, services and products such as fashion -- was around $35.9 billion in 2005. The Animal Fair magazine show drew a parade of socialites, reality TV stars, models and B-list actors with their pets -- mostly lap dogs with a few retrievers and collies. Model Beth Ostrosky brought Bianca, an English bulldog belonging to her boyfriend, famous radio shock jock Howard Stern. "Animals are people, especially dogs, they're part of the family," Ostrosky said, admiring Bianca's purple net outfit which was coordinated with her own Nicole Miller silk dress. (Agencies)

從穿著白色瑪麗蓮·夢露連衣裙的吉娃娃到身著紫色網眼芭蕾短裙的牛頭犬，如今紐約的寵物狗們穿的和它們的主人一樣時尚。 上周，一場小狗時裝秀在紐約一個最具人氣的俱樂部中上演。服務生們手拿盛著狗食的玻璃碗站在房間周圍，打扮入時的年輕人們品著雞尾酒，而他們的狗則在酒吧里嗅來嗅去尋找著新朋友。 舉辦此次小狗時裝秀的目的是為一個動物救助中心籌集資金。和任何一場時裝表演一樣，這場時裝秀的準備工作一樣有些混亂，同時還有一些新問題。 演員哈維·凱特爾的女兒斯特拉·凱特爾說：“狗叫聲不斷，還能聞到很多‘有趣的’氣味”。斯特拉·凱特爾和其他人帶著模特狗一起走臺。“每走一步我都小心翼翼。” 寵物時尚業是個大行業，擁有一些大的零售商，如Target，專門生產各式寵物時裝和飾品，在紐約的時尚前沿地區，還有一些寵物時尚精品店。 據美國寵物產品生產商協會介紹，2005年，美國63%的家庭擁有一只寵物，花在寵物身上的總支出達到359億美元左右，其中包括食物、看獸醫、及其他服務和產品，如時裝。 《動物名利場》雜志舉辦的寵物時裝展吸引了很多社會名流、真人秀明星、模特和二流演員，他們紛紛帶著自己的寵物來參展，參展的寵物中以哈巴狗居多，還有一些獵犬和牧羊犬。 模特貝思·奧斯特拉斯基帶來了男朋友的英國牛頭犬比安卡，她的男朋友就是著名的電臺名嘴霍華德·斯特恩。 奧斯特拉斯基說：“動物和人一樣，尤其是狗，它們是家庭中的一分子。”她一邊說一邊欣賞著比安卡的紫色網眼外套，這件衣服和她身上穿的尼可爾·米勒絲質連衣裙很是相稱。 (中國日報網站編譯)