Jennifer Fenton, a designer from Ontario, Canada, is an avid dog lover. She started designing at the age of five when her grandmother taught her how to sew. She began with creating doll clothes and blankets for her “little babies”. After being a dental hygienist for many years, Jenn decided to follow her dream, so about seven years ago she started designing for her line, Konfetie. She made jewelry, pajamas, and women’s accessories after attending the Ontario College of Art and Design. “I was the kind of girl who loved anything ‘girly’ and would rather create than sit in front of the TV,” said Jenn, when asked if designing was something she’s always wanted to do.
Currently Konfetie is represented across the United States and Canada in boutiques, salons, and major national retailers. Jennifer has been the first designer to create and market a functional handbag designed around a cigar box. When asked where she came up with the idea she said, “My grandmother left me a few boxes with sewing trinkets in them, and I thought they would be cuter if I embellished them… She had a few vintage bamboo handles kickin’ around, and thus the cigar purse was born.”
Designing can be a pretty hectic job. One of the ways that Jennifer likes to relax is by cuddling up with her Italian Greyhound puppy, Prince, and watch a movie. Jenn and her husband got Prince about two months ago. “My husband is a ‘cat person’ and it has taken me a while to switch him to ‘my side’… a definite dog lover,” said Jenn.
She grew up having three miniature Schnauzers, the first of which was Mitzie. Mitzie was her best friend for the first five years of her life. They went through everything together, including Jenn’s first steps. Then the family got Muffin who wasn’t with them long due to an illness, but was very much loved. It devastated Jenn when she passed away. Finally they had Peppi who was, according to Jenn, “an extremely affectionate puppy”. He used to sleep in her bed, sit at her door until she came back from camp and cried when she and her sister went off to college. Peppi died of old age after being part of the family for fifteen years.
She couldn’t wait to get another dog so eleven years later came “Master Prince”, which she received as a gift from her husband on Valentine’s Day. “Prince… is just the cutest little thing! I love him to death! I just want to play and hang out with him all day!” Jenn exclaimed when asked about her relationship with her Italian Greyhound puppy.
After participating in “Paws for Style” last year, Jenn “got an itch to start a dog-wear line”. The line has been in the works for the past year and will be launched on their new website this July.
Jenn’s designs are award winning and have been seen on runways of major shows and in the pages of some of the most popular fashion magazines, such as Lucky and Seventeen. For more information about Jennifer Fenton or her line, Konfetie, please visit www.konfetie.com.
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