About Us
Tiny dogs get cold very easily, even in Southern California. In 1997, when her beloved Chihuahua Yoda, caught the sniffles, Yana Syrkin the lauded Hollywood costume designer lovingly cut-up her 6-ply Scottish cashmere sweater and refashioned it to fit her wee companion.
Yoda welcomed the lush knits. Yana’s friends and celebrity co-workers on the set of “Ally McBeal” cooed over the sophisticated puppy designs. It seemed Yana had found a niche: elegant, whimsical, one-of-a-kind pet apparel and accessories for the discerning pet owner. Fifi & Romeo was born.
“Barney’s saw. Barney’s Bought.” reported People magazine, “ …and so did Neiman Marcus and Fred Segal.”
For two years, the visionary designer, now deemed the Coco Chanel of pet couture, worked from her home in the Los Feliz hills fulfilling custom orders out of recycled cashmere for celebrity clients and high end department stores.
In 2000, with a career in design and a business degree from USC, Yana applied her entrepreneurial savvy to successfully create a niche by filling a void with a “want”. A sophisticated lifestyle brand was born.
When Yana realized she needed an easier, less conspicuous way to tote Yoda back and forth between coasts, she designed her “ultra-smart” carrier and, in turn, broadened horizons for small dogs everywhere. Likened to the quality of a Hermes’ bag-created of sumptuous custom Italian leather and classic, vintage fabrics-these handbag carriers conveniently double as a purse or briefcase, offering clients the freedom and ease of having their best wee friend with them at all times, sneaking them in everywhere from movie theaters to restaurants!
Having raised the bar in pet industry standards, Fifi & Romeo found praise through features on Oprah, The Today Show, MTV, VH1, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, The Travel Channel, the hit series’ “Sex and the City” and “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”-essentially every major network-to name a few. Fifi & Romeo’s fashionable designs have been featured in high profile ad campaigns for such recognizable brands as American Express and Tab.
Fifi & Romeo’s custom ensembles have also been featured in box office hits such as “Legally Blonde” and “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde”, marking the premiere of Yana’s convertible handbag pet carrier, the Tote. Like its predecessor, this slightly smaller version of the classic- especially the pink & white polka-dotted Tote! - became a worldwide phenomenon, sending the pet and fashion industries into a frenzy, where flattery came in the form of countless imitations. The films feature over thirty-five glamorous costumes designed exclusively for Elle’s Chihuahua, Bruiser, that are available for purchase through the website and at the boutique.
Located in the historic Art Deco district on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, The Fifi & Romeo flagship boutique is a “pretty, polka-dotted gathering place”. Best known for their “impossibly beautiful” cashmere sweaters featuring the signature “heart and bone” logo and the original classic pet carrier, the collection found international success! Fifi & Romeo extended its creative vision to include opulent apparel and accessories for the whole family. A home line was also introduced featuring cashmere pillows, bed throws, and travel blankets.
In 2003 Fifi & Romeo, Inc. partnered with Japan’s Naigai Co. in an exclusive licensing agreement to import, manufacture, and sell the famed lifestyle brand. With plans to open 40 shops by 2009; with over a dozen free-standing boutiques so far, the first Fifi & Romeo boutique debuted in Nagoya Fall 2004 to rave reviews. Shops in Kobe, Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto, Sapporo and Kokura soon followed with an additional flagship opening in the exclusive shopping area of Ginza, Tokyo after 2020.
High-fashion trendsetters and social dignitaries comprise the discerning clientele of Fifi & Romeo including Cameron Diaz, Christina Aguilera, David Boreanaz, Katie Couric, HRH Prince Charles, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Jacqui Coppola Getty, Lucy Liu, Bernadette Peters, Kate Hudson, P-Diddy, Anne Heche, Britney Spears, Sting & Trudie Styler, 50 Cent, Chris Kattan, Demi Moore & Rumor Willis, Anne Hathaway, Pusha-T, Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey…again, to name only a few...
In 2004, the illustrious designer launched an exclusive co-branded pet collection for Sean John’s flagship store opening located on 5th Avenue in New York City. This hip, masculine line pleases all those stylish gentlemen who are equally particular about what their pets wear – both for casual and black-tie gatherings.
Since the brand’s debut over twenty years ago, Yana of Fifi & Romeo has managed to single-handedly diversify a market formerly limited to the mass-produced selections of corporate chain pet stores. Introducing elegance, dignity and a unique vision to a marketplace once ruled by acrylic and novelty, Fifi & Romeo continues to please, awe and inspire its diverse base of fans both in the States and around the world.
“Well, if you’re fashionable,” once asked Yana, “why would you dress your pet in something unbecoming or lacking in style?” It was a revolutionary question that Fifi & Romeo both asked and answered.
In 2021 we continue to provide luxury handmade goods out of recycled 100% cashmere for home, babies, people, and of course, pets! Not only are we very luxurious, we also are very green - way before it was trendy! ;)
Please contact us in regards to any questions you may have: 323-857-7215 / info@fifiandromeo.com
Private Appointments Available
Hollywood, California
Fifi & Romeo®️
Since 1998