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Dog couture gains popularity Elizabeth Ulellington KRT CAMPUS ■ PHILADELPHIA — The offerings at the after-work happy hour at Philadelphia clothing boutique Leehe Fai are delectably upscale: watercress, prosciutto-wrapped figs, and long-stemmed glasses of white wine. Multicolored tweed trench coats by Nanette Lepore and TrinaTurk line the walls, as well as displays of Rock and Republic denim. This would be a pretty run of-the-mill, invitation-only shopping event, but tonight, everyone here is holding an embellished leash with a panting, well-dressed, furry friend. All of whom received invitations. High fashion these days is all about plaid, princesses and pooches. Dogs are more than fashion accessories of choice. They are the secret ingredient to hipness — add dog and stir for cachet. At last month’s spring fashion shows in New York, I saw dogs arriving in Burberry bags on boucle-dad arms, while curious people were hardly allowed to star-gaze from Bryant Park. When Target wanted to secure an even better rep in the industry, it introduced a doggie clothing line by Isaac Mizrahi. Dior sells pet carriers, as does Coach. Specialty pet boutiques are popping up everywhere. Some businesses, such as Pooche & Company (http://www.poocheandcompa ny.com), specialize in fluffy, down-filled pet beds that range from $150 to $200. Before the end of 2005, pet owners are projected to spend $36 billion a year, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. That’s compared with $17 billion in 1994. “There are three basic looks now,” said Janet McCuIley, co owner of Muttropolis Dog and Cat Boutique based in northern California. “There is the chic look where the dogs are dressed in T-shirts with rhinestones or retro-Ts with silk screens- There is ultra girly with bows and plaid, and there is traditional, more rugby polo look.” McCulley said that aging baby boomers and couples who don’t have children often dote on their dogs. They are what are called “pet parents.” On this night at Leehe Fai, Courtesy o/K KT CAM Pt JS Molly attended the Leehe Fai happy hour in a pink top. The event was held to raise funds for the Alliance for Philadelphia’s Animals. there are $7,4 doggie-fitted tanks with “Bad Hair Day” and “High Maintenance” printed on them. Part of the proceeds from the people and pet clothing went to the Alliance for Philadelphia’s Animals, said Leehe Fai Goldfarb, the store’s owner and mom of Lucy, a wirehaired terrier, and Sonic, a Border Jack (a mixture of Border collie and Jack Russell terrier). Ticker, Deb Normans 8 year-old Border collie, pranced around the store in a pink tank that read “Looking for a Good Stud.” “She’s simple, elegant and practical,” said Norman, a dog trainer who lives in Fort Washington. Just then, Meghan Scott walked by carrying Atticus, a ~ mean-mugged pug in a Pucci bag lined with red Chinese silk. He wore a pink-and-brown striped rugby shirt by dog designer-label Fox Hound. “He’s kind of eclectic,” Scott, 31, said of her doggie. “He likes to match different patterns. Dressing him up is addictive. I mean, I don’t have children. I adore him.” But it was Molly, a cotton ball-fluffy 5-month-old Pekingese, who stole the show, as she rolled around the front of the store in a tiny cotton candy-pink tank. Adorable. “This is my first pet ever,” exclaimed 31-year-old Archana Patel. “This is my baby. She even has her own bathrobe. I’m her mom.” That pretty much says it all. Courtesy of Yi\\f CAMPUS Many manufacturers have started labeling their products’ cocoa content, regardless of whether they are considered upscale. Some chocolatiers list cocoa amounts Laura H. Ehret KRTCAMPUS Dark-chocolate lovers, pick your number. The trend of labeling cocoa percentages on gourmet chocolate packaging has reached the baking aisle, with time to spare for the holidays. Upscale chocolatiers have designated percentages on their packages for a while, but the trend is just hitting supermarket brands. Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Schokinag and Valrhona, all artisan chocolate makers, designate cocoa content on their products, even when it’s not that high. Schokinag, for instance, lists 72 percent on its bittersweet bar, but its Semi-sweet Chocolate Baking Chunks also bear a 50 percent cocoa label and the Milk Chocolate Chunks are labeled 32 percent cocoa. Hershey’s makes Special Dark Chips but doesn’t list a cocoa percentage. What does a cocoa percentage mean? In a nutshell, the higher the number, the more true chocolate flavor and the less sugar. - For unsweetened chocolate, that really means nothing has changed. It’s just that now it’s wrapped in a new, trendy package that’s stamped “100 percent cocoa.” And that rates a 10 on the foodies’ gotta have-it scale. i The Colonial Cup Steeplechase 26» 2005 Presented By: Celebrations James Ervin Toyota I South Carolina Smiling Faces. Beaulful Places’ www.carolina-cup.org (800) 780-8117 _Springdale Race Course_Camden. South: Carolina