Valentino's Best Friend

If you haven't yet seen Valentino The Last Emperor, which is a documentary following the life of the designer as he designs his last collection, then you have no idea of his fascination with pugs. Valentino has six pugs (Milton, Monty, Maude, Margot, Maggie, and Molly) and they are the single best thing about the documentary. "I don't care about the collection. My dogs are much more important", professes Valentino.

They create a fantastic sense of humour and fun to the documentary and each pug becomes a character in the movie. There's a scene where Valentino is posing for the movie poster with all of his pugs in tow and it soon becomes absolute mayhem. One "little idiot," as Valentino calls her, pees during the shoot, and all six get taken wherever their master goesHe treats them like his own children and spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on them. They wear diamonds, eat the ebst food, and even have their own dog butler. These dogs are complete fashionista diva's. They cop some serious 'tude.

To get a little taste of what we're talking about check out this clip.

In lieu of his love for the pug, Valentino has started Valentino The Last Emperor's Most Fashionable Pug contest! The contest will be judged by Valentino himself.

HOW TO ENTER

Provide a photo of your pug looking glamorous (interpret that however you like), along with the dog's name and your name, address, email address, and daytime phone number. You may submit the photo in one of the following ways:
» Post it yourself to this Facebook page (and email them your contact info along with the photo)
» email photo to them
» Present it in person at the Film Forum box office (attn: Adam Walker), with the relevant info written on the back of the photo.

Film Forum will be displaying the best photos in their theater lobby on the Most Fashionable Pug contest board, so be sure to drop by and check it out! 209 W Houston St. New York, NY 10014 http://www.filmforum.com/

PRIZES

Prizes provided by House of Dog, the California-based high-fashion doggie boutique, and by New York's Feron Productions.
» First Prize: House of Dog's complete pug setup! Two collar/leash sets, a basket of toys, and a large drinking bowl. Plus a Pop Art portrait of your pug from Feron Productions!
» Second Prize: One House of Dog collar/leash set, and a hardcover copy of Valentino Themes and Variations!
» Third Prize: One House of Dog collar!

SOME OF OUR PUG CONTESTANTS...
A selection of the best entry photos will be posted daily on this page. Deadline: Thursday, April 16. Winners will be notified by Friday, April 24.

Writer: Kate Murphy