What would it take to get you to return to school decades after you’d completed your degree? For Upper East Sider Lynne Correia, the motivation was her 7-year-old Brussels griffon, Gidget.
Correia graduated in 1982 from Manhattan’s prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology, also the alma mater of design giants Ralph Rucci and Carolina Herrera. She’s enjoyed a successful career as a children’s apparel designer ever since. But her pup Gidget, who’s as super-cute as her ’50s surfer-girl namesake, recently inspired the design pro to hit the books again — this time as a student of FIT’s Pet Product Design and Marketing program.
Tomorrow Correia will show off her new skills when she and fellow students unveil their K9 designs at “Last Bark for Bryant Park,” a fashion show featuring doggie and kitty couture.
With her designs, Correia went the flamboyant and fanciful route, with looks reminiscent of “Dynasty” creator Nolan Miller’s ’80s-style TV couture: They include a doggie evening gown made of light blue embroidered-and-sequined silk organza, and a bowwow wedding gown, which will be the show’s Fido finale.
While glamorous Gidget will not be cat-walking tomorrow, she was immortalized wearing Correia’s designs in the photography book “Indognito,” and has plenty of opportunity to get dressed up all year long, as Correia loves designing outfits for her favorite four-footed fashion model.
For last Sunday’s Easter Parade, Gidget turned heads in a pink dress and matching pillbox-style bonnet, and on Halloween, she went in full mermaid regalia. Her impressive wardrobe also includes flamenco dancer and majorette costumes.
“Gidget has always loved to get dressed up,” says Correia. “I know some [dog owners] don’t agree with that, but I’ll pull out an outfit and she lifts up her little paw so I can put her leg through the arm hole! Then she gets all wiggly like, ‘What are we wearing today?’ She’s my muse.”
Lucky for other stylish pooches, Gidget isn’t Correia’s only couture-loving K9 customer. Correia designs custom clothing for the Upper East Side store 75th and Paws (234 E. 75th St.). To book a fitting, visit the shop or call 212-717-5444.
“Last Bark for Bryant Park” is free and open to the public, and takes place tomorrow from 5 to 6.30 p.m. in FIT’s John E Reeves Great Hall, D Building, Seventh Avenue and 27th Street.
js@pet-reporter.com