Pugs away!

Back in 2010 Gladys and Pixie, Brix Smith - Start's pugs were seen on the New York Mulberry catwalk show. At the time I thought, "uh, pugs are they in fashion now, eh?" I just saw another revival of 'It' girls carrying them around in their handbags wearing Juicy Couture tracksuits and that thought filled me with impending doom. Then Louis Vuitton got in on the act and slowly but surely their little faces have endeared themselves onto me and now I think: "pugs - yeah!" And like I always say before taking on board any passing fashion whim: "If it is good enough for LV, it is good enough for me." And I always thought I was strictly a Hello Kitty girl.

Grazia picture

Luisa Via Roma, the online luxury retailer has collaborated with designers, Mary Karantzou, Balmain and Valentino to create special edition teddy bear pugs. They have been auctioned on Ebay to help raise money for the children's charity, Unicef. On further discovery pugs are not just a pretty face. Josephine Bonaparte used her precious pet, Fortune to carry messages to her family when she was in prison before her marriage to Napolean. The breed is said to have flourished under Queen Victoria's reign. This Balmain pug looks ready for his royal close up. It has been confirmed in 2012, it's pugs away, as the pug is now here to stay.