Lucky Fiona

2009-07-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

Spring 2011

A little deaf puppy named Pogue Mahone helps us carry on...

Fiona will always be in our hearts, and carrying on with this little collar company has been bittersweet. We miss our Fiona, but see many reasons to continue. One is our sweet Pogue. As long as he makes us smile daily with his antics and steals ribbon from the packing table in the studio we will see the light on sad days when we miss our company namesake. Thanks for sticking Lucky Fiona as we continue on this journey.

October 2010 ~Rest in Peace ~ Fiona ~ We will miss you dearly.

We will honor Fiona's memory in every stylish collar we create.

Lucky Fiona Dogwear was created around the very real and very lucky English Setter named Fiona that my husband and I rescued from a shelter.
Using reproduction and vintage fabrics and trims we create one of a kind adjustable dog collars and accessories.

We believe every animal companion is special and unique and their dogwear should reflect that! Whimsical yet gorgeous, our collars are as functional as they are fashionable. We use high quality fabrics and hardwear and an industrial sewing machine to make our creations. Fiona is the most fashionable pooch everywhere we go and she loves sharing her silly named collars with the world!

2009-07-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

We use high quality vintage reproduction and vintage inspired fabrics for all our collars, focusing on designs from the 1930's, 1940's, 1950's & early 1960's. All of our collars are lovingly hand crafted and inner lined with high quality webbing for durability. Lucky Fiona only uses high end welded D-rings and durable hardware that secures easily into place.

Lucky Fiona prides themselves on obtaining washable fabrics that are not only gorgeous but easy to clean. We suggest top rack of dishwasher or gentle cycle for ease of laundering. (remove charms and tags first of coarse!)We use curved collar hardware that contours to your dogs neckline for a comfortable fit. After all just because your dog looks so incredibly fantastic does not mean he or she has to be uncomfortable! We double stitch stress points and use an industrial sewing machine to securely stitch through thicker materials. Our collars are sturdy yet gorgeous.

I'm Shannon and I live my life in the company of dogs and one very tolerant husband who enjoys cutting reproduction/vintage fabrics for me upon request. We believe the motto "Isn't life better with a setter?" so we've adopted three of them over the last 7 years. Dugan is our eldest Irish Setter, Caelan our bratty middle child Irish Setter and our new addition and company namesake Fiona, the English Setter.Our dogs are not boring and we felt their collars shouldn't be either! We love vintage fabrics and prints and we sit up at night thinking of ways to incorporate them into pet products and accessories. (Actually we sit up at night because the dogs hog the bed) Please enjoy our creations- we pride ourselves on making durable and beautiful products that spark conversations!

*Our sizing guide* Remember sizing list is just suggestion as we customize EVERY COLLAR MADE TO ORDER!

X-Small (1/2 inch) 8 - 12
Small (3/4 inch width) 9 - 13 inches
Medium (3/4 inch or 1 inch width) 12 - 17 inches
Large (1 inch width) 15.5 - 24 inches
X-Large 24 inches plus~

We love to customize!
Email first so we can reserve a listing for you!
We do 1.5 or 2.0 widths- $3.50 surcharge for 1.5 and $5.00 surcharge for 2.0 applies.
We also do martingales for a $7 surcharge, convo for details!

We need your dogs neck size upon purchase! Please provide this important info. so we can create your fashionable hound's one of a kind collar. We will then ship it out within 7-10 days of receiving this information.
Be a wonderful dog Mom and/or Dad to your fur child! Use of this collar upon purchase is pet guardian's sole responsibility.

Alabama

Canine American Dog Boutique
108 S 8th St
Opelika, AL 36801
334-705-6455

California

Diogi K-9 Resort & Spa

7340 Hollister Ave.

Goleta, CA 93117

805.685.6068

Georgia

CityDog Market
4244 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30319
404-816-8050

Illinois

Dogaholics
904 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
773-857-5787

WagN’Wash
3124 S State Route 59
Naperville, IL 60564
630-753-9663

Go Dog Go
4050 Wolf’s Crossing Road
Oswego, IL 60543
630-636-9418

Iowa

River Pup
106 N Cody Rd
Le Claire, IA 52753
563-289-2233

Massachusettes

Pawsh Dog Boutique

31 Gloucester Street

Boston, MA 02115

617- 297-2045

New Jersey

Brave New World
1208 Richmond Ave.
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-899-8220

Bark Lane
516 Bay Ave # 2
Pt Pleasant Bch, NJ 08742
732- 295-1956

Urban Paws
Suite 1
26 Maple Street
Summit, NJ 07901
908-277-9600

New York

Barking Dog Candy Company/Bittersweet
2 Lagrange Ave
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
845-454-6656

Beacon Barkery
192 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
845-440-7652

Dogs of Hudson

355 Warren Street

Hudson, NY 12534

518- 822-8242

Hopewell Animal Hospital

2611 Route 52

Hopewell Junction, NY 12533

845-221-7387

Ruff Cuts
818 Route 82
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
845-592-0830

North Carolina

Cat Banjo
2043 Cameron St
Raleigh, NC 27605
919-833-6711

South Carolina

Hairy Winston
1605 Palmetto Grande Drive
Mt Pleasant, South Carolina 29464
843-881-0800

Ohio

Barks & Purrs
4393 Todd Rose Ct
Cincinnati, OH
513-688-7387

Utah

Fawn ~ Soul Spun
3955 Highland Drive
Salt Lake City, Utah 84124

Virginia

For the Love of Pete
322 Libbie Ave
Richmond, VA 23226
804-288-3674

Red Dog Spa
12158 Fairfax Towne Center
Fairfax, VA 22033
703-865-6644

Washington

FC Pawprints
3302 Harborview Drive
Gig Harbor, Washington
253-255-1424

Planet Poochie
7 Lake Shore Plaze
Suite 200
Kirkland, WA 98033
425-822-3590

Wisconsin

Bad Dog Frida

2094 Atwood Ave

Madison, WI 53704

608- 442-6868

2009-07-07T17:39:00.000-07:00

2009-07-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

Shannon Barry - Head Bitch
info@luckyfiona.com
630.253.2371

2009-06-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

* Can you make this collar in my dog's size? I have a mastiff/chihuahua/corgi/dachshund mix with an odd neck size!
Well yessiree-bob we can! We are proud to say every Lucky Fiona collar is custom made to order. That's right - no stock sitting around the Lucky Fiona studio. Each collar is made specific to our client's needs and crafted specifically to order. We know customers have very particular requests when it comes to dog and cat collars and we aim to please, so clients can indicate a basic size from the chart in each listing or better yet just give us your dog's neck size in inches. From tiny 3/8 inch widths to giant 2.0 inch widths and every length imaginable - we can create a perfect fitting collar. All collars are adjustable so you can fine tune fit when you receive the collar. We can make any length and width combo a dog guardian desires so don't be shy, just ask! Not sure what width would look best? Feel free to contact the Head Bitch who is always happy to advise on collar ordering based on experience of fitting every imaginable dog breed out there.

* Do you make cat collars?
Why yes we do! Any of the fabric styles you see available can be made into a cat collar. See the shop for the cat collar listing and simply indicate in notes section what style fabric you would like. We use breakaway safety buckles on all cat collars for the well being of your feline friend. Bells and a charm are always included free of charge. Some fabrics represent better than others in cat collars so if unsure of your pick feel free to give a shout and we can tell you what will look most dandy on your kitty.

* Are your collars sturdy?
Absolutely! Each collar is four layers of high quality lined fabric with a separate polypro mildew resistant core webbing inside. We triple stitch stress points, use heavy duty metal hardware and only the highest quality shatter proof curved for comfort buckles.
Lucky Fiona collars are durable yet beautiful - easy to wash for repeated wear.

* Why does it take 7-10 days to make my custom collar?
Lucky Fiona collars are a labor of love that shows in the fact that each one is hand crafted and made to order. To be as efficient as possible in fabrication we make collars in groups of 40-50 at a time. Each collar is cut, lined, webbing is added in and then steamed into four different seams before sewing even begins. Sewing is also done in several stages as seams are sewn and hardware is added on. Making one collar from beginning to end can sometimes take up to an hour so by doing collars in batch work we are able to give customers the same high quality and keep production times to a minimum. We know sometimes it is hard to wait over a week to receive a collar, but the fine craftsmanship makes your one of a kind creation worth the wait.

* What if my collar does not fit?
No worries...Simply return the collar unworn and in new condition within 7 days of receiving purchase and we will re-make a new collar for you. Include in return the dog or cat's actual neck size in inches, width desired and address to ship to. Returned collars are donated to local animal shelters to benefit dogs and cats in need.

* Can I send in my own fabric to have a collar made?
Unfortunately at this time we are unable to make collars from client provided fabric. This is due to liability issues and restrictions with our insurance provider.

* I want to send a collar as a gift for my friend but I have no idea the size of the dog?
Well we have just the solution! A Lucky Fiona Gift Certificate! Good for one year and perfect for the new dog or cat guardian. The recipient can use at their leisure and pick any style from our shop and certificate covers the collar custom made to their specifications and shipping. Heck, we'll even gift wrap for you.

2009-06-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

About The Head Bitch

Shannon Barry

Shannon Barry (a.k.a. Company “Head Bitch”) is the gal behind the colorful collars at Lucky Fiona. A little custom collar company based out of her home studio in the western Chicago suburbs, her goal is to create unique and conversation-starting dog and cat collars from vintage reproduction and retro inspired fabrics. A New York native and lover of all things vintage with a weakness for kitsch, Shannon remembers as an eight year old leafing through her Mother’s 1957 high school yearbook and longing to wear cat eye sunglasses and pretty patterned neck scarves tied in a knot instead of polyester slacks and matching vests. (A child of the 1970’s polyester was part of a painful fashion-childhood) As part of her teen rebellion Shannon paid a classmate with bags of Doritos to sew all her projects in Home Ec and thought sewing was “totally uncool” and questioned when in her life she would ever need a sewing machine? In high school she saw a William Wegman exhibit in Greenwich Village that changed the ways she saw dogs and fashion that left an indelible mark on her. She studied art history and photography in college and married her high school sweetheart Alex (“The Man Behind the Bitch”) who is the official silent - and sometimes not so silent - partner of Lucky Fiona. Moving about the country with her husband’s career - Shannon had an epiphany to work with animals in 1996 and ran kicking and screaming away from her desk job in medical sales. (and never looked back!) She trained as a veterinary technician and worked in the field for close to 10 years ending her traditional work history as a hospital director of a large vet clinic. In her quest to mix animals and careers she also started and ran a very successful suburban pet sitting service from 1999-2005 where she could easily get her fix dressing up dogs and photographing them much to the glee of her human clients. Always looking for the next "big animal influence and bright idea" she began accessorizing her own dogs with collars that matched their personalities using vintage fabrics in 2006. Frustrated at the lack of variety/uniqueness in commercial dog wear she decided to start a new company working with retro fabrics she loved and giving her own beloved pooches something special to wear. After a year of market research and some trial and error Lucky Fiona was launched in June 2007.

Over the years she and Alex rescued many creatures, 3 Irish Setters and 3 English Setters and some charming felines. Fiona being their first English Setter. Taken from a high kill shelter, Alex often called her “Lucky Fiona” and our company name was created. Remembering where Fiona came from is part of the Lucky Fiona passion and each month collars and proceeds are donated to various animal fund raisers and humane causes across the United States. We lost our beloved girl to an aggressive cancer in October of 2010 and will miss her more than words can say. In her memory we will continue to create lovely collars as our beautiful and graceful Fiona would like her legacy to continue in the work done in the Lucky Fiona studio as well as the company's charitable causes.

Shannon regrets not paying more attention in high school sewing and finishing her own projects. Her penance is sewing each and every Lucky Fiona collar as made to order. Lucky Fiona collars are made with love for people who truly share their lives with their beloved animal companions. Each is as unique and special as the dogs who wear them.
In 10 years Shannon sees herself still madly in love with Alex, still working with dogs and cats, living near the ocean and not regretting any of her tattoos.

The Man Behind the Bitch
Alexander Rainboth

Alexander Rainboth is the official "Man Behind the Bitch" at Lucky Fiona and the Chief Fabricator/Big Idea Man/Guy Who Deals with Numbers. Being married to a free spirit artist requires a counterpart who can think logically and do math and Alex serves both points very well as the husband of Shannon Barry and not so silent parter of Lucky Fiona.

A former U.S. Navy submariner Alex uses his high tech nuclear submarine training to configure measurements for martingale collars needed to fit overweight pugs with bizarre head and neck sizes. His current day time career finds him as an electrician at a leading chocolate manufacturer where he uses his high tech nuclear submarine training to configure ways to keep chocolate making machinery running. He received his college degree post-enlistment from Elmhurst College where he received a BS degree in Business Management. A fact he often brings up to the head bitch when she questions any of his business strategies.

A true blue pinstriped New York Yankee fan Alex also enjoys spending time with his dogs and cats, organic gardening, rockin' out to live music and corrupting his twin nephews. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he sews very well. In 10 years he will still tell people he is 22 years old, have his tattoo sleeves done and will have restored a classic car.

East Coast Senior Sales Executive
Rebecca Marino

While reviewing candidates for this position we had to consider that we needed a very special type of employee. One with lots of energy and enthusiasm for Lucky Fiona products and the witty charm of a natural salesperson. More importantly we also needed to find somebody who would accept payment in cat collars & Lucky Fiona t-shirts in lieu of an actual paycheck. Enter the lovely and talented Rebecca Marino.

Working out of our satellite office in upstate New York Rebecca hits the Tri-State area dog boutiques and specialty shops with her own special brand of salesmanship. She goes nowhere without a fist full of Lucky Fiona samples in her hand and the determination that all dogs and cats should be stylish and sporting our collars! Rebecca shares her days with her kitties Jack & Fiona, 2 incredible sons Tristan and Avery and her husband Bobby who refers to her as the Crazy Cat Lady.

2009-06-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

Alabama

Canine American Dog Boutique
108 S 8th St
Opelika, AL 36801
334-705-6455

California

Diogi K-9 Resort & Spa
7340 Hollister Ave.
Goleta, CA 93117
805.685.6068

Georgia

CityDog Market
4244 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30319
404-816-8050

Illinois

Dogaholics
904 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
773-857-5787

Go Dog Go
4050 Wolf’s Crossing Road
Oswego, IL 60543
630-636-9418

Unleashed
1535 N Dayton Street
Chicago, IL 60642
312-475-9910

Iowa

River Pup
106 N Cody Rd
Le Claire, IA 52753
563-289-2233

Massachusettes

Pawsh Dog Boutique
31 Gloucester Street
Boston, MA 02115
617- 297-2045

New Jersey

Brave New World
1208 Richmond Ave.
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
732-899-8220

Bark Lane
516 Bay Ave # 2
Pt Pleasant Bch, NJ 08742
732- 295-1956

Urban Paws
Suite 1
26 Maple Street
Summit, NJ 07901
908-277-9600

New York

Barking Dog Candy Company/Bittersweet
2 Lagrange Ave
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
845-454-6656

Beacon Barkery
192 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
845-440-7652

Dogs of Hudson
355 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
518- 822-8242

Hopewell Animal Hospital
2611 Route 52
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
845-221-7387

Ruff Cuts
818 Route 82
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
845-592-0830

North Carolina

Cat Banjo
2043 Cameron St
Raleigh, NC 27605
919-833-6711

South Carolina

Hairy Winston
1605 Palmetto Grande Drive
Mt Pleasant, South Carolina 29464
843-881-0800

Ohio

Barks & Purrs
4393 Todd Rose Ct
Cincinnati, OH
513-688-7387

Texas

Olive - Green Goods for Modern Dogs
120 Sunrise Terrace - Bldg B
Cedar Park, Texas 78613
512-259-8787 or
toll free 1-877-olive.55

One Green Street
5160 Buffalo Speedway
Houston, Texas 77005
281-888-9518

Virginia

For the Love of Pete
322 Libbie Ave
Richmond, VA 23226
804-288-3674

Red Dog Spa
12158 Fairfax Towne Center
Fairfax, VA 22033
703-865-6644

Washington

FC Pawprints
3302 Harborview Drive
Gig Harbor, Washington
253-255-1424

Planet Poochie
7 Lake Shore Plaze
Suite 200
Kirkland, WA 98033
425-822-3590

Wisconsin

Bad Dog Frida
2094 Atwood Ave
Madison, WI 53704
608- 442-6868