Dogs wearing hats designed by world famous royal milliners is a combination difficult to resist.
The charity calendar Haute Dogs is back with a bang for 2025, featuring 12 international milliners and 12 cuter than cute rescue dogs. Designers involved in the initiative, now in its seventh year, include founder Awon Golding, whose designs have been worn by royals including Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton and celebrities like Lady Gaga.
Also on board for 2025 is Jess Collett, the British milliner who was commissioned to make the intricate silver leaf and crystal tiara headpieces worn by Kate and Princess Charlotte for the coronation of King Charles at Westminster Abbey last year.
“The calendar is just awesome, and I’m thrilled to be part of it again,” Collett tells PEOPLE. She adds, “With Haute Dogs, I can be a bit more playful and explorative with ideas.”
The milliner, who attracted world fame after she was approached to work with Alexander McQueen for the coronation, was part of the very first Haute Dogs calendar back in 2018.
Creating a retro Wimbledon-themed hat for June, modeled by a crossbreed named BB (who was rescued from China with horrific injuries), Collett explains, “Dogs just love chasing tennis balls, and then I thought, when worn, the dog would look she had just crawled out from under a hedge! The purple flowers are, of course, the Wimbledon colors.”
AWON GOLDING MILLINERY
The Princess of Wales, 42, has strong ties to Wimbledon. A keen tennis player herself, in 2016 she officially became the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, taking over the post from the late Queen Elizabeth. And the Wales family of five, including Kate, husband Prince William, 42, and kids Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, are dog lovers too, introducing their black cocker spaniel Orla to the world in 2022.
Haute Dogs has raised over $130,000 for dog charities all over the world since Golding launched the initiative in 2018, and this year she has chosen the U.K-based dog charity, Rushton Dog Rescue, to be the beneficiary of the proceeds. Founded by Cindi McNeil Regan in 2007, the charity rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes dogs with a special focus on dogs that are abandoned, neglected or have medical or emotional needs.
“They do incredible work, taking in the neediest dogs from around the world — dogs that other shelters might turn away,” Golding tells PEOPLE from her studio in East London. “It’s run by just a mother and daughter team, so we felt it was important to support them and help raise much-needed funds, especially with the tough winter months ahead.”
The calendar was originally inspired by Golding’s own rescue pup, a Staffordshire bull terrier named Stevie, who the milliner used to model hats on in the studio. Realizing people loved the idea of combining her two passions, Golding had the idea to raise money doing just that.
AWON GOLDING MILLINERY
“I’m happy to dedicate my time to this because I truly believe we’re not only brightening people’s days with these adorable dog photos but also showing rescue dogs in a new light — and, most importantly, helping to save them in the process,” says Golding, who splits her time between her own studio and her role as Head Millinery Designer at Lock & Co., the oldest hat shop in the world.
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The crowdfunding campaign runs until Oct. 27, and calendars can be purchased and shipped globally until they’re sold out — and this year, for the first time ever, holiday cards are also available to purchase.
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