If puppy needs an evening gown
You can get both posh and affordable pet clothes at Doodletons, and also clever carriers, beds and feeding bowls
KETKHANEE Suyanand’s mum is a veterinarian and she basically grew up in animal hospitals, but she was determined to be a fashion designer. Happily, the two callings compromised, and Ketkhanee has since come up with a wonderful array of clothes and accessories for dogs and cats.
Her boutique Doodletons opened in 2009 in the pet-friendly community mall Ozono on Sukhumvit Soi 39, full of posh outfits for pooches made with premium local and Japanese cotton and linen and guaranteed to allow plenty of ventilation for their furry wearers.
Affluent pet lovers loved the stuff, not just those in Thailand but in Europe and across Asia. And then, in 2012, the sister brand Sketch appeared with more casual and more affordable gear. It was a hit at this year’s Thailand Pet Expo and the InterPets Fair in Tokyo.
“I’ve been around dogs since I was a baby,” Ketkhanee says. “The family veterinary hospital was my inspiration to create clothing for pets because there were so few choices in the local market at the time. For me it’s all about ‘design meeting function’. The clothing is designed for the pets, but the pets’ owners are the real users.”
Now Sketch has a home of its own at – of all places – her mum’s pet clinic, the Sukhumvit 49 Veterinarian Hospital. Coming full circle, Ketkhanee is upstairs at the facility, which also boasts a grooming salon on the third floor.
Paintings of dogs and cats adorn the walls at the entrance. The Doodletons boutique on the second floor has an impressive line of clothes for four-legged friends – the expected shirts, slacks and vests, as well as unexpected items like evening dresses. The outfits are trimmed with bows and come in stripes, polka dots, plaid and floral motifs.
The Sketch line includes screened and striped T-shirts, leather collars with bow ties affixed, sturdy leashes and harnesses, flannelette beds in varying sizes and “tick twisters” imported from France for ridding your pup of pests.
“I pay attention to pet health in my designs and purchases,” Ketkhanee says, “so everything I sell is made to not just fit the animals physically but also match their behaviour. Everything’s been approved by my mother, and she’s always giving me useful advice. The clothes are manufactured at a brassiere factory, so the stitching is really good.”
Also on offer are cool pet carriers of plastic-coated canvas and synthetic leather that look more like chic handbags. Ketkhanee’s backpacks are durable and spacious enough to keep your puppy hidden while you sneak past the doorman at your no-pets-allowed condo.
For mealtimes there’s a remarkable feeder from Denmark that mimics the look of lawn grass so that pets can scratch and sniff around, and Ketkhanee’s own ceramic bowls that resemble volcano craters and are virtually impossible to break.
Upstairs, the beauty salon for pets uses Oxy Bubble Bath to not only clean the fur but kill bacteria and improve blood circulation.
DOODLE ON OVER
>>Doodletons is on the second floor of the Sukhumvit 49 Veterinarian Hospital.
>>It’s open daily from 10am to 7pm.
>>Call (02) 392 3150 or visit www.SketchPetProducts.com.
