Her name is Tika and she's a style icon. With over one million followers on Instagram (including celebrity fans like Jennifer Aniston, Diane Keaton and Lizzo), the Montreal-based Italian Greyhound first went viral in December 2020 after her owners posted a video of all the outfits she wasn't able to wear while the pandemic occurred.
In honor of last night's Academy Awards, Tika had her red carpet moment when designer Christian Siriano created a custom-made purple gown especially for her.
"Sorry ladies, this year’s best-dressed at the 93rd #Oscars has four legs. Thank you @csiriano for this gorgeous purple moment, I’ve never felt so glamorous," Tika wrote.
Tika's name loosely translates to the Hindi meaning of "Theek Hai," her dad, Thomas Shapiro told Huffington Post Canada back in January. He and his husband, Louis, often heard their friend say it to her mother on the phone.
“It means like, 'Everything’s good, everything’s okay.'"
As for Tika's sizable wardrobe? Italian Greyhounds get very cold more easily than other dogs because they're so thin, so Tika needs to bundle up pretty often. Plus she needs to protect her paws against de-icing salt on the pavement.
“If it’s under 20 degrees, she starts to shiver," Thomas said.
And while Thomas acknowledges that the fashion is fun, it's Tika who is the priority.
“Comfort first,” he said. “Once you know that they’re comfortable, and the garment serves its purpose, then the more color the better. You really want to turn heads on your walk, which Tika always does. Just have fun with it. Explore different textiles, and kind of make it your own."
Tika has a lot of love in her life (her dads are expecting a baby this month, they told Huff Po) and has certainly made strangers around the world smile. Follow her here!