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Reminder Assistant Editor AGAWAM Life for your favorite pooch is more than just doggie treats, long walks and fetch. And in today's society where Hollywood starlets cruise around town with their puppy as a jeweled accessory, the pooch must look as glamorous as its owner. For those seeking high-end doggie fashion Joan Guernsey, owner and designer of Tuggie MacQueen "Where style and comfort reign supreme" has created a new collection fit for those from Park Avenue to Rodeo Drive. Under the new name Tuggie MacQueen formerly Tattletails Guernsey has recently found inspiration recreating her four collections of dog coats and also producing an entirely new collection of hoodies and tank tops called Ab Ovo. Guernsey said she is eager to show off her new designs named for her grandmother Henrietta Tuggie MacQueen at the Thanksgiving Classic Cluster Dog Shows from Nov. 23 26 in the Young Building at The Big E. She said her work is a "labor of love." Guernsey added that she started the business five years ago because she always had a love for designing and was "tired of doing jobs that just paid the bills." Less than a decade later Guernsey's designs have been featured on ABC's "The View" and worn by the dogs of TV celebrities such as Jackie Warner, star of the Bravo reality series "Workout" and owner of Sky Sport and Spa in Beverly Hills, Calif. Guernsey said the third season of "Workout" is currently in production and she suspects that Warner's two Chihuahuas will be sporting her designs on the show. Recently Guernsey decided to reinvent her original four collections: the Nantucket Collection, the Madison Ave Raincoat Collection, the Out on the Town Collection and the Aspen Collection. She said along with the company's new name she decided to create a whole new line of unique high-end fashion called Ab Ovo. "That's my baby," she said of the new collection. "I was trying to think of something that was appropriate for different seasons and regions of the country." This collection, like the other four are available in sizes six to 20. Ab Ovo is a collection of dog hoodies tie dyed in hot pink, ocean blue, seafoam and lilac. The kangaroo pockets are lined with Swarovski crystals and nailheads. The Ab Ovo collection also features tie dyed tank tops with Swarovski crystals and the choice of painted design. Guernsey said her Shih Tzu Yoda, who models and assists her with all of her designs, is in love with her line of hoodies because "it adds that extra layer of warmth." Guernsey added that her redesigned original collections have been upgraded to give them even more individuality and flair. One of the original collections includes the Nantucket Collection, which features five different designs of "casual, yet upscale" coats made from various fabrics such as denim, ticking, trigger and seersucker. The coats are accented with a designs such as a dog bone, American flag, sail boats, palm tree or flower and ceramic buttons. The prices of the coats range in cost from $71.99 to $91.99 depending on size. Guernsey said that while the coats are "more expensive, they are well worth it" because she does not compromise on the quality of her products. When asked where the inspiration comes from for her designs she said it comes from everywhere. Specifically Guernsey said that when she was creating the Out on the Town Collection she herself was out on the town and saw "that design with straps on a pair of shoes and that's what made me think of putting it on a coat. I thought it would look really cute." Her designs, however, do not end with coats. Guernsey also has a collection of jewelry. The seven designs of "bracelets" and "necklaces" she described as featuring Swarovski crystals with sterling silver beads in multiple colors and shapes. Guernsey was quick to note that the jewelry is not to be worn as a collar and should only be worn for "special occasions." The prices of the jewelry range from $87 - $136 depending on size. "I've always wanted to offer something that no body else had," she said. Guernsey added that every design that she creates is "with the comfort of the dogs in mind." For more information on Tuggie MacQueen or to view the collections go to www.tuggiemacqueen.com. | ||||||
