In the fashion world, August is largely considered the industry’s summer break: The men’s and haute couture shows are over by mid-July, and the spring collections don’t start showing until September. Essentially: If you are going to take a vacation–a real, do-not-disturb vacation—this is the monthlong lull to do it.
Which leaves us in a bit of a predicament. When we wanted to do a shoot of the season’s best sunglasses, who was around to book if all our favorite models were off gallivanting around Europe? So, amid the dog days of summer, we decided to go with…the dogs.
With the help of Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek, the Vienna-based photographer known for his idiosyncratic, anthropomorphic calendars “Doggystyle” and “Monkey Business,” we had six canines model shades from Gucci, Loewe, Coach, and more. His vision? Dogs enjoying a dog day afternoon across Vienna. There’s Luigi suntanning in Stadtpark and Toffi making espresso martinis behind a neighborhood bar. (“Best dog barkeeper ever,” says Gebhart de Koekkoek.) Mathilda, meanwhile, can be spotted behind the reception desk at Hotel am Brillantengrund, a historic property in Neubau, Vienna’s seventh district.
“For me, it was very important that we choose some everyday street dogs,” Gebhart de Koekkoek says of his casting process. Another requirement? They must love treats. Food, Gebhart de Koekoek explains, is how he gets them to sit so still.
Was there any dog that really showed supermodel quality in front of the lens? Gebhart de Koekkoek says you simply can’t make him choose. “All the dogs have been doing a very good job.”
In this story: casting, Casting Büro Wien; hand model, Fjodor Kelling. Photographed at the Hotel am Brillantengrund.