In the eye of the beholder

This project explores the ways in which we reflect ourselves and our ideas behind the beauty standards upon our dogs and cats. As the way we treat our pets says a lot about us and about the relation people have towards pets.

A place where the execution of living up to this beauty standard starts is the trim salon. Trim salons are designed to wash, blow dry and cut your animal in the way the owner wants their animal to look like. The owners comes in, tells their expectations, sometimes shows a photos of the desired cut, leaves their dog at the salon and in 2-3 hours comes back and picks up ideal their dog or cat.

I visited three trim salons over the last couple of weeks and documented the process of grooming, washing, blow drying, when the owner left the salon step by step. I focussed on the pets, how they felt, the person that did the work, the surrounding and how the place looked like after the dog or cat was done.

Special thanks to trim salon de Jordaan, Reino Canino and trim salon La Chic

Mayte Breed