A petite Maltese-poodle mix, Penny stepped effortlessly onto the red carpet at New York Fashion Week for the second time recently.
She debuted a one-of-a-kind dog couture created by designer Anthony Rubio, cradled in a model’s arms, and walked down the runway at the Angel Orensants Foundation in New York City on Sept. 11.
Manpreet “Preety” Kaur names her 16-month-old puppy by promoting her on Instagram (@PennyLuxeLife) and getting fashion and photography deals. Penny is the model for her Rifruf dog her sneakers and an ambassador for Kara Mergl Photography.
Kaur lives with his family in Exeter Township and holds a medical school and master’s degree in business administration. She said she saw her fellow student’s dog having litter with her neighbor’s dog and she was hit by a little ball of fluff when she met Penny.
Late last year, Kaur saw a casting call for Rubio’s show.
“Usually all his slots are filled, but due to the whole pandemic situation, he had a casting call…
She couldn’t believe that Penny had been chosen.
“I got the email and I jumped up and screamed because I know you live in Berks County. This is like a big deal for us,” she said.
The first fashion show, held in February, was attended by many celebrities, including Miss Universe Harunaz Sandu.
“As a girl born in India from a very, very different environment, coming from a completely different background, it was a great way to get a job and learn more about the industry,” Kaur said.
She said she was so happy when Penny was chosen to model for Rubio in his latest show.
“I am so proud of my New York Fashion Week presentation for Spring/Summer 2023,” Rubio wrote in an email. “My collection included 20 of his pieces for humans and 20 couture designs for dogs.
“For Pets, I have designed a multitude of glitters in bright, vibrant colors, each one a unique work of art. As I have said many times, our pets, which are mostly adopted from shelters and rescues, are models, not accessories.
Rubio studied womenswear at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and created human designs in the late 1980s and mid-1990s.
After leaving the design world until 2003, he was inspired by his adopted dog, Bandit, to begin Bandit Rubio designs for pets. When Bandit passed away in his 2011, the company name was changed to Anthony His Rubio Designs.
Kaur, 32, was born in New Delhi, India and graduated from Exeter High School in 2008. She said she had to take classes in English as a second language when she first came to school in America. Now she has no accent.
Penny also continues her education. She became a certified therapy dog in her August through her Pawsitive Hearts Pet Therapy and Rescue Inc., Hogan Her Learning Academy for Autism Spectrum Disorder Students in Rockland Township and the Berks County District Attorney. visited the station.
She’s also learning to use the “talk” button, Kaur said.
“So when I want to go outside or want a snack, I actually press a button,” says Kaur. “It speaks to me.
“Now I’m teaching her to talk, which is actually cool.”
