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Louise Thomas
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Italian luxury label Dolce & Gabbana has released a designer fragrance for dogs, named after and inspired by the co-founder’s pet.
Now, for €99 (£84), anyone can own Fefé, an “olfactory masterpiece” containing “fresh and delicate notes of Ylang Ylang, Musk, and Sandalwood”.
Fefé, named after Domenico Dolce’s “loyal dog Fefé”, comes in a “sleek, green lacquered glass bottle” featuring a 24-carat gold-plated paw print and an exclusive Dolce & Gabbana dog collar with a tag.
The 40-second promotional film for the fragrance shows a series of pups, while a narrator says: “I am delicate, charismatic, authentic, sensitive, enigmatic, rebel, fresh, irresistible, clean. ‘Cause I’m not just a dog. I’m Fefé.”
The perfume has been developed by master perfumer Emilie Coppermann, who has spent over 20 years creating fragrances for some of the biggest designer houses like Givenchy, Chopard, and Karl Lagerfeld.
According to the label’s website, Fefé is alcohol-free, has been tested, and was approved by vets.
Fefé was originally adopted by Stefano Gabbana, who discovered that the miniature poodle puppy did not get along with his male cat. Gabbana gave him to Dolce, who instantly fell in love.
“It’s the diminutive of Raffaele, which means gift from God,” Dolce told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. “And I, as a good Catholic, considered that this dog really was a gift from God.”
Dolce added that he named Fefé after a pet from an old Italian comedy film starring actress Franca Valeri.
The market for pet products is growing quickly. Bloomberg has reported that the pet economy is worth an annual $320bn worldwide and is likely to reach $500bn by 2030.
While Dolce and Gabbana may be the first luxury brand to launch a fragrance for pets, several other labels have already made their foray into designer items for pets. Labels like Miu Miu, Burberry, Moncler, and Christian Louboutin all sell distinctive harnesses, leash and collar sets, and Louis Vuitton has a dog carrier with its iconic monogram canvas.
“We’re distributing Fefé right away throughout Europe, in the US and then, little by little, we’ll expand; it’s already available online,” Gabbana told Corriere della Sera. “The market has reacted well; everyone went crazy at the announcement.”
