Fur, frogs and fashion: Inside the lives of Melbourne’s best-dressed duos

Beasts of Style.

My childhood vision for my adult self was to be the girl strutting around with a tiny dog slung across one arm and a Dior Saddle bag on the other, exactly like Paris Hilton in her Juicy Couture with Tinkerbell in tow. 

While I’ll never be able to live out this fantasy (my hyper Labrador could realistically carry me), our pets, no matter the size, are an extension of us and often, our personal style.

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From Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved Choupette, who went on to inspire Jared Leto and Doja Cat’s 2023 Met Gala looks, to Thom Browne’s pup Hector, the blueprint for his iconic dachshund-shaped handbag, there’s no doubt some of fashion’s most celebrated moments are tied to the pets that walked alongside them.

Of course, our furry (or scaly) companions aren’t mere accessories; they’re intertwined with the rituals of our lives and the way we show up in the world. This was the idea behind Beasts of Style, a portrait series by Melbourne photographer Kayla May Petty-Kook and stylist Sabrina Raso that celebrates the eccentric overlap between style and the creatures we share our lives with.

Behind every beloved pet is a meet-cute worthy of a rom com and below, models Laura-Mae, Raphael, Jye, Susan* and John* share their favourite memories about the animals that influence them. 

Jye and Po (Birman)

Jye wears UNREAL FUR jacket.

Although Jye never considered himself a cat person, from the moment he met Po, they were instantly drawn to each other. After driving two hours into “the middle of nowhere” to meet him, Jye says, “the second I saw him, he felt like my oracle. Something about his piercing blue eyes and his energy gave me this undeniable connection.”

“Po feels like the manifestation of myself in cat form. Physically, we even resemble each other a bit, but more than that, our movements, our energy, and our calm sense of knowing are mirrored.

Through Po, I’ve learned so much about presence and boundaries. The way he carries himself, knowing what he wants, unbothered, rooted in his own energy, truly reminds me daily of the power in holding firm to who you are. He’s seamlessly become an extension of me, and in many ways, he’s shaped not just my lifestyle, but the way I move through the world.”

Jye wears UNREAL FUR jacket, HARVEY SWIM briefs, LOEWE shoes from SWOP, stylist’s own feather and jewellery.

“He’s a bit of an escape artist. He’s always plotting how to sneak outside to bask in the sun. Once, I was driving home just a couple of streets away from my house when I spotted a cat on someone’s front lawn. I thought, ‘that looks a lot like Po’ and sure enough, it was. Somehow he’d slipped out without me knowing and was just chilling in the sun, living his best life. Mind you, he’s an inside cat.”

Laura-Mae and Fletcher (Chihuahua)

Laura wears CHELSEA FARQUHAR corset top, BUCI NYC skirt, LOEWE shoes from SWOP, TOM FORD glasses from MARIJA STUDIO, nails by HORNI NAILS.

Laura-Mae has always dreamed of mothering a Chihuahua. When her sister stumbled across a blurry Gumtree ad of Fletcher, a one-year-old Chihuahua dressed in a ‘baby’s first Christmas’ hat, they knew they had to take him in.

“It seemed so cliché to adopt a dog while I was living in my little townhouse with my sister in the city. Two girls in their twenties co-parenting a tiny dog. And yet, we found ourselves making the drive to go and meet him. He barked at us at the door, all 2.2 kilograms of him, and we knew he was our baby.” 

“We say he’s half dog, half cat. He’s very sleepy, loves to cuddle, sleeps on the bed inside the covers (spoilt). He’s very protective of his two mummies and hates men. A psychic once said that he was a healer, plus he was born on February 22 (22/2) so we know he’s our little angel.”

Raphael and Leaf (Green Tree Frog)

Raphael wears ANTIEK EAST trousers, shoes from SWOP, KAACHE GEMS necklace and rings.

As a kid, Raphael was fascinated by unique animals. During summer, he and his dad would spend time at the creek, searching for frogs and lizards. Eventually, a six-year-old Raphael wanted one of his own, so they obtained a license to adopt a Green Tree Frog, who they named Leaf.

With Leaf still beside him at 21, Raphael and Leaf share many memories. “When he was a baby he was incredibly active, and would jump from far distances. Now as an adult frog, he is a lot more chill and there are even times when my friends hold him and he simply falls asleep in their hands, enjoying the warmth.”

“As Leaf is a nocturnal animal and spends the majority of his time in his terrarium, I wouldn’t say we necessarily share any routines. But it’s funny in the morning as if I ever use the blender, Leaf seems to ‘compete’ with the loud sound and croaks until my smoothie has been made.” 

Susan, John and Bella (Jack Russell)

John and Susan wear NIAMH GALEA trousers, MARIJA STUDIO leather jackets, stylist’s own tops and shoes. 

Susan and her daughter were casually looking at Jack Russell puppies online when they stumbled upon a face they couldn’t resist. Having lost their previous Jack Russell under difficult circumstances, her husband, John, was reluctant to bring another dog into the family. But they got Bella anyway. Susan recalls, “On his return from interstate he was presented with a cuddly ‘fait accompli’ and the resistance could not be sustained.

“Bella can tell the time for appropriate occasions and at 11am, she enthusiastically waits by the door for her walk with us to our regular coffee spot, where she has a fan club.”

John wears TASAR AND DEFINITELY FEEL hat, HOT FUTURE glasses.

For more on fashion people and their pets, try this.