With the blessing of the brand halo, many dogs, like Nimo, wore Celine collars early. On social media such as Xiaohongshu, the evaluation of this collar is mainly that it looks good, but it is too wide and hard, and it may be slightly uncomfortable for smaller pets.
Although luxury brands lack professionalism, the pet racing track is still attracting more and more players. Following Celine, Gucci also launched its first luxury pet lifestyle series at the end of June, covering clothing, tableware, travel bags , mini sofas and other products. In the past three months, high-end clothing brands Hugo Boss and Tommy Hilfiger have also announced that they will cooperate with Kanine, an Irish high-end pet products company, to launch their first pet series. .
In China, young pet owners with relatively strong economic strength hold up half of the pet market. The "2021 China Pet Industry White Paper" released at the beginning of this year shows that the pet dog market size in 2021 will be 143 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 21.2%, and the pet cat market size will also exceed 100 billion yuan.
With the economic growth slowing down, luxury brands are looking for new growth drivers. In addition to raising prices, developing new product lines is also a method. Previously, luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton , Hermès , Dior , Prada , Versace , Fendi and other luxury brands have taken the lead in launching pet product lines. However, it seems that these products have not yet brought them... to grow significantly.
Lack of professionalism
Even for luxury brands, it is not easy to make good pet products.
A consumer told Yicai that Hermès dog kennels sell for as much as 18,000 yuan. They are not made of leather, but are made of wooden tubs covered with lambswool pads, and some of them still have wood thorn residue. The pet clothing launched by luxury brands does not come in multiple sizes like ready-made clothing. Promotional pictures usually use petite pets with slender limbs such as Maltese dogs and Chihuahuas as models.
There are even fewer products available for large dogs . The 28-pound Cano cannot fit into any luxury brand pet bags or pet clothes. Since he needs to keep warm when traveling to cold areas, he can only wear the largest size Moncler dog down vest that is shorter. Fortunately, the cuffs of the vest are large and he can still move freely after opening the buttons. Cano's owner tried to find alternatives of similar quality, but was unsuccessful. The other two cats at home were more interested in scratching posts, climbing frames, and toys.
For these fashionable pet products, cats and dogs with a keen sense of smell have their own set of "identification" standards. Perhaps because of the special smell of leather, Nimo has a soft spot for Louis Vuitton. After its owner returns home from shopping, it always enthusiastically picks up Louis Vuitton's shopping bags, but is indifferent to products from Dior, Celine and other brands. "Nimo might be able to identify Louis Vuitton," Nimo's owner Lao Dongzi joked.
requires reservation or distribution
Louis Vuitton and Goyard are the first luxury brands to get involved in the pet economy, with a history of more than 90 years.
Louis Vuitton’s most classic pet product is DOG CARRIER 50. Gao Yade, also from France, has opened a pet supplies store in Paris, selling collars, leashes, pet bags, pet bowls, etc. in various colors, with a wide range of varieties and high prices. Lao Dongzi told China Business News that five years ago, he bought a small Louis Vuitton necklace in Paris for 260 euros. At that time, a similar style by Gao Yade sold for nearly 500 euros.
For “grass-growing” consumers, these fashionable items often require reservations or distribution. Take Louis Vuitton as an example. On the brand’s official website in China, only one pet product, the DOG CARRIER 40 pet bag, can be found, priced at 28,000 yuan. Even in Paris, stores don't always have it in stock.It took two weeks to get Nimo's collar after ordering. Lao Dongzi and his wife even customized a pet bag for it, but gave up because they had to wait 6 to 8 months.
Apart from the kennel from nap to adult, the Hermes kennel is the only kennel that Nimo is interested in. In Hermès, similar products are given the role of stocking, and Cano also has a stocked Hermès scarf.
In some scenarios, these pet products can make consumers flock to them even if they are not loved by the pets themselves.
If it can meet the practical value and the price is acceptable, Lao Dongzi will consider upgrading Nimo's supplies to luxury goods. He admitted that luxury brand pet products are more aimed at the psychological added value of pet owners. For him, purchasing these products can not only express his love for Nimo, but also highlight the dog's own personality.
Give "furry children" the best things within their own capabilities. This is the consumption concept of many young pet owners. This is destined to mean that luxury brand pet products are more like a link between brands and customers, rather than an independent and highly professional product line.
(Pictures are from the official websites of each brand or screenshots)
Source: China Business News
Editor: Liu Yuhong
