Barking mad! Woman gives up her high-powered job to design Olympic dog outfits

Stella McCartney has designed the official Team GB kit and Next has unveiled its collection of formal wear for the opening ceremony.

But who is dressing the nation's mascots?

A former business woman from North Wales has given up her boardroom job to take on the role of dressing man's best friend in their very own Olympic inspired dog jackets.f

Donna Condliffe wanted to design Olympic outfits for man's best friend

Donna Condliffe recently walked away from a senior managerial role at a leading financial institution to follow her dream of launching a luxury clothing website for dogs, just in time for the big summer Games.

The 42-year-old turned her back on the corporate world, sold her home in Cheshire and moved to the mountains of north Wales to set up Canine & Co, an award-winning online dog boutique offering a wide range of dog clothing and accessories for people who love to spoil their pets.

'The inspiration for the Olympic dog clothes came as there is a real buzz starting as we count down to the London 2012 games and I felt what better way to involve our pets, in what will be a fantastic spectacle for the whole of Great Britain.

The buzz surrounding the Olympics led to Donna's new business venture

Donna has even received an order from New Zealand for her patriotic outfits

'It will be great to see the whole country wearing red, white and blue and really getting behind the athletes, and how good that we can include our pets, who are, after all, a big part of our family!'

'I wanted to start a business on a subject I am passionate about, I am animal mad and have 2 rescue dogs myself so it was an easy decision. 

We have had lots of orders for the Olympic inspired coats, in fact this week one order was from New Zealand, its difficult to get one from further away that that,' she said.

Donna, who began trading seven months ago, has already been awarded New Business of the Year by Conwy Rural Council and came runner-up for the prestigious awards Woman in Business and E-commerce Business of the Year.

Donna says she doesn't regret giving up her high-powered job to spend more time in the countryside with her dogs

'People are proud of their pets and like to show them off. The website gives them the chance to do just that.

There's no better way to showcase my products than to show my actual customers and their animals enjoying them,' she said.


Although her former colleagues have labelled her 'barking mad', Donna doesn't miss the pressures of the corporate world.

'I’d much rather stick on my wellies and head out into the fields with my dogs. Carrying their diamante studded leads of course!'

By Bianca London for the Daily Mail


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