Dogs take on the catwalk at February fashion show | Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Dogs will be strutting on the catwalk at an upcoming event in downtown Winchester that highlights fashion and puppies who need homes.

Lion and Ram Fashion Boutique, located on North Cameron Street, is gearing up for the second iteration of its Puppy Love Charity Fashion Show, which features adoptable dogs, vendors with an array of goods and runway walks by models for Lion and Ram.

Boutique co-owner Molly McGehee-Hanson said the dogs won’t be modeling outfits, but they will strut the runway alongside or in the arms of a stylishly-clothed human.

“Some people think, ‘Oh, it’s dogs in fashion,’” McGehee-Hanson said laughingly. “I’m like, ‘No, we don’t dress the dogs. It’s our clothes with the cute dogs, since we’re trying to get them adopted out.’”

The pups hail from PetConnect Rescue, an animal rescue nonprofit based in the greater Washington, D.C., area, and all proceeds from the charity show will go to PetConnect.

It’s the second year for the event, which will be held at The Monument on the Loudoun Street Mall on Feb. 2. Last year, more than $1,000 was raised for PetConnect. This year, the goal is to beat that. There were about 12 dogs at last year’s event, some of which were adopted as a result. All of the dogs eventually found homes.

While the ultimate objective is adoption, McGehee-Hanson also hopes to simply bring more awareness to PetConnect, as she’s fostered four dogs through the organization. And for cat people, PetConnect has kitties for adoption and fostering, too.

“Anytime you put adoptable dogs or puppies anywhere, it gives people a soft spot,” McGehee-Hanson said. “It’s just a fun, unique event.”

Canines aside, the event features outfits from Lion and Ram — the small business that McGehee-Hanson founded alongside her sister-in-law, Jillian McGehee, about two years ago.

She described Lion and Ram’s clothing aesthetic as “trendy, easy-to-wear [and] versatile,” noting that the shop stocks items like women’s denim, sweaters, tops and dresses.

“There’s lots of different styles, but we really try to find things that people will feel good in,” McGehee-Hanson said. “Fashion has no rules, which we love, because if you put it on and it feels good on your body, then that’s fashion and that’s what you need to wear.”

The store’s offerings seem to attract shoppers from many generations, she added. For instance, her 15-year-old is a frequent visitor, as well as her mother.

About a dozen local vendors, with specialties ranging from coffee and homemade soaps to teeth bling and leather handbags, will set up tables for folks to peruse at the Puppy Love Charity Fashion Show.

There will be door prizes and free “swag bags” for guests to take home as well. The coordinators are still accepting door prize donations from local businesses, along with materials from companies to put in the giveaway bags. “It’s free marketing,” McGehee-Hanson noted.

As she discussed the upcoming event, references to mutual business support abounded. Lion and Ram has only been around a couple of years, but the sisters-in-law have “jumped in head first” with the Winchester community.

“Being a small business owner, it’s really hard. So, if we all kind of band together and promote each other — community over competition type of thing — I think that everybody is more successful.”