Milan line offers canine couture for pampered pooches

Milan has long been the world's ready-to-wear fashion leader. Now, dogs are getting in on the Italian city's sartorial scene with a new line of haute couture for canines.

In this image taken on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, designer Giovanna Temellini kisses her dog Ulisse, an Afghan greyhound, wearing a winter coat created by Ms. Temellini, at the Temellini manufacture headquarters, in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Dog a Porter, by the Milan brand Temellini, offers clothing custom-fit for different breeds, ranging from the tiny Chihuahua to the stately greyhound. The line includes cashmere knits, nylon bomber jackets with tiny arms, Sherlock Holmes-style capes and lined raincoats.

The capes cost 170 euros ($208) and synthetically filled hooded parkas go for 210 euros ($256) to reflect the extra time it takes to get the fine stitching on the elasticized sleeves just right.

Designer Giovanna Temellini says fashionable dog clothes aren't just an indulgence. Her luxury outerwear not only protects pooches accustomed to being indoors when they are brought outside, but take into account the builds of various types of dogs, she said.

This image taken on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, shows a label on a dog coat created by designer Giovanna Temellini, at the Temellini manufacture headquarters, in Milan, Italy. Milan has long been known for its pret-a-porter.  (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In this image taken on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, Ulisse, an Afghan greyhound, wears a coat created by designer Giovanna Temellini at the Temellini boutique, in Milan, Italy. Milan has long been known for its pret-a-porter. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

"For me, a dog is well-dressed only when it has freedom of movement, when it is not constrained," Temellini said. "It is OK to dress a dog when it is cold, but a dog needs to live his live as a dog. This is important."

Speaking from personal experience, the designer notes that Ulysses, her long-haired Afghan Hound, requires five hours of grooming if he gets wet in the rain. A raincoat prevents the hassle, she said.

Temellini launched Dog a Porter a year ago alongside her 20-year-old eponymous clothing line for women. She opened a boutique in Milan's chic Brera neighborhood this week, selling women's ready-to-wear and canine couture side-by-side.

In this image taken on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, fashion designer Giovanna Temellini, top, talks as her dog Ulisse, an Afghan greyhound, wears one of her creations, at the Temellini boutique, in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In this image taken on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, dog owner Amanda Smith stands with Ulisse, an Afghan greyhound, wearing a winter coat created by designer Giovanna Temellini, as they walk outside the Temellini manufacture headquarters, in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In fact, many of the dog garments have corresponding numbers for women, such as the long, flowing black cotton skirt a pet owner could wear while walking her dog outfitted in a black chenille jacket.

The market appears ripe for such a venture in fashion-conscious Italy, where some 7 million dogs are registered as pets, or one for every 3.7 families, according to statistics from ASSALCO, an association of producers of pet food and other pet items.

The money Italians lavished on dogs and cats grew 10 percent during 2013-2016 to nearly 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion), the association said in a 2017 report.

Temellini said the toughest part about designing for dogs was the sizing. The long bodies and stout thoraxes of dachshunds, for example, had to be taken into account. In all, the Dog a Porter line has five basic shapes.

In this image taken on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, customers Amanda Smith, left, and Giorgia, walk with Ulisse an Afghan greyhound, and a dachshund 'Pardo', wearing winter coats created by designer Giovanna Temellini outside the Temellini manufactor headquarters, in Milan, Italy.  (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In this image taken on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, chief designer Silvia Radaelli, left, and fashion designer Giovanna Temellini try a coat on Ulisse, an Afghan greyhound, a creation by Ms. Temellini at the Temellini manufactory headquarters, in Milan, Italy.(AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

But the Temellini atelier also does made-to-order items, applying the experience it gained over decades making samples for some of Milan's top fashion houses, including Ermanno Scervino, Bottega Veneta and Max Mara.

"Something that made me laugh was to see a professional, a lawyer, come in with his Saluki, and he wanted a made-to-measure coat for his dog," Temellini said. "He said all his clothes were made-to-measure, and he wanted the same for his dog."

In this image taken on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, employees Angela and Jenny sew dog coats as half-breed Akita-Labrador 'Willy' stands by at the Temellini manufactory headquarters, in Milan, Italy. Milan has long been known for its pret-a-porter.  (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

In this image taken on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, Giorgia, a customer holds her dachshund 'Pardo', wearing a winter coat creation by designer Giovanna Temellini, at the Temellini manufactory headquarter, in Milan, Italy. Milan has long been known for its pret-a-porter. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Patrizia Radaelli is a happy Dog a Porter customer. She couldn't find anything to warm Eddie, her 14-year-old Yorkshire terrier-Volpino Italiano mix.

"He's a little old and gets very cold in the winter," Radaelli said. "Usually, he would get very fussy when I dressed him with other items. But never with Giovanna's fabrics."

Now, Eddie turns heads when he does his evening business wearing a striped cashmere sweater under a navy blue parka, Radaelli said.

In this image taken on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, chief designer Silvia Radaelli plays with 'Anubi, an Afghan greyhound, at the Temellini manufactory headquarters, in Milan, Italy. Milan has long been known for its pret-a-porter. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

CAPRI, Italy (AP) — The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received “last minute” information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who chaired the meeting of ministers of industrialized countries, said the United States provided the information at a Friday morning session that was changed at the last minute to address the suspected attack.

Early on Friday, Iran fired air defenses from a major air base and a nuclear site near the central Iranian city of Isfahan after spotting drones. It was part of an apparent Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country last weekend.

Tajani said the U.S. informed the G7 ministers that it had been “informed at the last minute” by Israel about the drones. “But there was no sharing of the attack by the U.S. It was a mere information.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to comment on the assertion, but emphasized that the U.S. was not involved in any attack and was committed to working for a “de-escalation” in the region.

“I’m not going to speak to that except to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations,” Blinken said.

Asked to describe the current U.S.-Israeli relationship, Blinken noted that Israel makes its own decisions and the United States is committed to its security.

“We are committed to helping Israel defend itself and as necessary participating in its defense, as you saw just a few days ago,” Blinken said, referring to the U.S. and allied action to help Israel repel the weekend Iranian drone and missile attack.

"Again, Israel makes its decisions, but we have a commitment to defending it," Blinken said.

Tajani said the G7 partners had all exchanged information Friday about what they knew about what had transpired in Iran. He said he shared that he had spoken on the phone with Italian embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran and ascertained that the Italians living in Isfahan were all safe.

“There were no deaths or injuries,” Tajani said. “There is a group of Italians who live in the city where the drones arrived and they are all without problems. They say life has resumed regularly, and the Iranian airspace has reopened.”

“It seems the climate is better today than overnight,” he added.

In a communique following the three-day meeting, the ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States urged the parties “to prevent further escalation.”

The statement pledged support for Israel’s security and condemned “in the strongest terms” what the foreign ministers described as Iran’s “unprecedented attack against Israel of April 13-14, which Israel defeated with the help of its partners,” as well as the seizure of the Portuguese-flagged vessel MSC Aries in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We stand ready to adopt further sanctions or take other measures, now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives,” the document read.

The group also warned Iran against transferring ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia.

On the war in Gaza, the group called on Hamas to release hostages and reminded Israel to respect international and humanitarian law.

It added that G7 countries remained opposed to “a full scale military operation in Rafah that would have catastrophic consequences on the civilian population," and called for increasing the flow of aid into Gaza.

"The G7 worked and will work for a de-escalation,” Tajani said in a closing press conference. He said that would include a de-escalation of tensions, followed by a cease-fire, liberation of hostages and aid to the Palestinian people.

Colleen Barry in Soave, Italy contributed.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks to reporters during the final press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, shakes hand with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron as they attend an Indo-Pacific meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, Pool)

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani gestures as he speaks to reporters during the final press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)