Cuteness reigns at nation’s first Man & His Dog Fashion Show

Man & His Dog Fashion Show and Fundraiser took place at Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty in La Jolla on June 15th. The first-ever event of its kind in the US was hosted by realtor Dave Hatt. Hatt is from Canada where he attended a similar event there held by his good friend and hockey team mate, Dale Olsen. Hatt asked him permission to take his idea and have his own event here. Proceeds from the fundraiser go to Mad Mutts Dog Rescue.  

In addition to planning the event, Hatt was the MC for the evening. Models came down the runway holding a leash with these adoptable dogs. The menswear in the fashion show were from State & Liberty Athletic, Performance Fabric Menswear, and Quicksilver, a brand iconic in board riding culture. 

Hatt’s wife Cindy Hatt is an indigenous artist. She paints primarily in acrylic and uses her Ojibwe heritage in work on both two and four-legged animals. One special guest at the event won a chance to have Cindy paint their dog. There were also more give aways and sales. The BEV BUS was there with refreshments, and Malibu Django brought doggy treats. 

There was also a puppy petting area for everyone to enjoy. Additional sponsors were Noah’s Natural Pet Market, Whole Foods Market, and Decker’s Dog and Cat. This was the first year so if you missed it, stay tuned for upcoming events at bit.ly/3z4KPzU. 

Mad Mutts is a non-profit in San Diego County helping dogs here in Southern California. All of the pets are cared for by foster homes. The goal of Mad Mutts is to rescue and rehabilitate at-risk dogs from shelters. These dogs are overlooked, neglected, and/or medically fragile shelter dogs. If you would like to adopt a pooch or donate to this rescue visit madmutts.org. 

Upcoming Events  

“A Splendid Decennium: Victorian to Vanguard”  

Featuring the textile art of Marty Ornish, this exhibit has been extended three months until Aug. 4 at the Villa Montezuma Museum (villamontezumamuseum.org) on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Call or text 619-233-8833 for tour reservations. 

Runway 40 Fashion Gala  

At the San Diego Air & Space Museum, Pan American Plaza from 5-9 p.m. on Saturday, July 6, the Gala features designer Ugochi Iwuaba. Tickets at bit.ly/3yrxql6.