River Island launches dog fashion collection so you can twin with your pooch

Pet owners can treat their pooches to a range of coats, jumpers, leashes and more from Thursday

River Island’s new dog clothing and accessories collection, RI Dog, includes jumpers, coats, leashes and more (River Island)

River Island is set to launch a brand new collection of dog clothes and accessories for pet owners.

RI Dog will launch on Thursday 21 October, with the British fast fashion brand promising to cater for “every kind of pooch”.

Dog parents – who often use the term “pawrents” on social media – can also buy matching padded coats to twin with their furry friend on autumnal walks.

The collection will include raincoats, monogrammed jumpers, leashes, handkerchiefs and other accessories such as dog harnesses in small, medium and large dog sizes, with prices ranging from £10 to £30.

The pooch-friendly collection comes after the UK saw a surge in pet ownership, with at least 3.2 million households having acquired a pet since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

River Island’s new RI Dog collection includes coats, jumpers, leashes and other dog accessories (River Island)

According to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, young people between the ages of 16 and 34 account for 59 per cent of new pet owners.

River Island first launched RI Dog in 2016, which featured an eight-piece collection of autumn/winter wear. It included cable knits, bomber jackets, collars and slogan T-shirts for four-legged friends.

However, the brand has not released another dog-focused collection since then. River Island teased the opening of an “RI Dog Style Studio” as an April Fool’s prank, but no dog clothing or accessories have been available to buy online.

With an estimated 24 million pet dogs and cats currently in the UK, the pet clothing market has proved lucrative in recent years.

Market insights collated by the GroomArts Academy show that pet owners spend nearly £200 on average on clothes for their pets and 66 per cent of owners buy pet accessories.

Britons spend on average £95 a month (or £1,150 a year) on their pets, with more than a quarter of pet owners admitting they like to pamper them.