Anthony Rubio’s Museum of the Dog Exhibit Is a Mix of the Met Gala & Canine Swagger
The 40th St. museum will be hosting the “Canine Couture” exhibit until July 7. Straus News spoke to Pet Gala pioneer Anthony Rubio and Museum of the Dog director Christopher Bromson about the canine-ready pieces on display, which match–with striking fidelity–the Met Gala outfits of stars such as Zendaya and Chris Hemsworth.
| 19 Jun 2024 | 04:56
The canine version of Zendaya’s Met Gala ensemble, now viewable at the AKC Museum of the Dog. It’s part of Anthony Rubio’s “Canine Couture” exhibit, which runs until July 7. (
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Rubio’s rendition of Cardi B’s dress, now encased at the AKC Museum of the Dog. (
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A historical summary of Rubio’s work on canine couture, pictured at the AKC Museum of the Dog. (
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Do you count yourself among the billions of fans of dogs and high fashion, two behemoths of human culture that have overlapped for centuries? Well, E. 40th St.’s AKC Museum of the Dog has got a treat for you (pun intended), at least until July 7.
“Canine Couture: An Exhibition of Anthony Rubio Designs” is a commemoration of Pet Gala pieces created by the eponymous doggie designer, which match the boundary-busting ensembles worn by celebrities at the Met Gala with striking precision. You may know and love the work of artists such as Zendaya, Cardi B, and Chris Hemsworth...but have you seen their costumes in miniature, custom-sewn for a poodle?
Indeed, the exhibit is ostensibly geared towards those who missed the latest Pet Gala iteration on May 20, which was also held at the AKC Museum of the Dog. For those who wouldn’t miss a Pet Gala for their life, it’s also simply a chance to study Rubio’s handicraft up close.
Rubio told Straus News that he first took up doggie design more than a decade ago, when he saw Sarah Jessica Parker wearing a wild hat designed by Phillip Treacy. “I made it for my dog. It got a big reaction,” he said. “I kept venturing further and further,” he added, until he conceived of the Pet Gala. An inaugural version was held in 2023.
“We rented a penthouse over on 46th St., by the Intrepid. I designed 12 pieces, those [of the] celebrities at the Met Gala. Before we even left the venue, the press was flying all over the internet,” Rubio explained. “Reuters and Associated Press picked it up and distributed it. Then Salma Hayek contacted us. She wanted the picture of dog that was wearing her dress, and she put it on her Instagram.”
Fast forward to this year’s Pet Gala, which Museum of the Dog director Christopher Bromson called “spectacular.” It took a year to prepare for the public, Rubio noted: “We had a 25-ft. wall of flowers. The press was out there, just like the Met Gala. Cars were stopping in the middle of the street to take pictures. People were asking ‘what is going on!’”
The exhibit, which keeps the canine spirit alive, is held on the third floor; this also houses the museum’s impressive collection of 17th-century dog paintings. In other words, Rubio’s tiny outfits are fittingly encased next to canvases fit for the Louvre. “I love how the curator organized this, how Rubio’s outfits are dispersed among the other bronzes,” Bromson aptly pointed out.
Other featured outfits that stand out include one of Bad Bunny’s and one of Sarah Jessica Parker’s, his original muse. Rubio will also be releasing a coffee table book about his collective body of work later this summer.
“Everything is hand-done,” Rubio said. “Everything was done in two-and-a-half weeks. I burnt the candle at both ends and stayed up almost every night...and sewed my heart out! I study the details. I study the colors. These are couture pieces for humans. I respect top designers. I elevate them.”
After sourcing the necessary material from the Garment District, Rubio firmly believes that he is honoring the work of Met Gala designers by recreating them for our four-legged friends. After all, as Rubio puts it, “dogs are like our children.”