Tika, best known for her Instagram nickname and TikTok of Tika the Iggy, is the sculpted greyhound puppy who pulled the strings of the heart of those who felt confined to leggings and sweats in the months of a pandemic that changed everyone’s life.
Shapiro and his husband Louis caught Tika nine years ago, when they lived in an apartment and needed a dog that would be comfortable in a small space. The truth is that Italian greyhounds have won their hearts. Her name comes from a slight misunderstanding of the Hindi word ठीक है, or theek hai – which means “everything is fine”.
Tika already had a large number of followers online – about 230,000 followers on Instagram, before she became known worldwide for the Tik Tok launched in late December, “I loved it, I couldn’t use it”. Tika tried on a collection of fabulous ensembles, including a faux fur coat, rainbow-striped wool and floral print buttons. While she modeled each look, using the narration created by Lorena Pages, although she “loved it”, she “couldn’t use it”. A cheerful but identifiable video, which gave a silly and colorful touch to the frustration that so many people were feeling with a pandemic year.
Tika’s illustrious collection of clothes comes from practicality, since Italian greyhounds get cold very easily, as they are very thin and do not have a lot of hair. Therefore, “winter coats are a necessity, especially in Montreal. Boots are also necessary to protect delicate feet from the salt used to defrost the sidewalk.” said Father Shapiro.
Tika is fast becoming a celebrity icon on her own thanks to the rotating displays of her wardrobe on social media. The current It Girl presents a fun and fearless approach in her style, an important reminder that clothes can still be exciting.
She was shouted at by celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Diane Keaton and Lizzo, and her video was recreated by Sofia Vergara. She has an agent and her own merchandise. In January, she was present at the legendary fashion magazine, Vogue.
Tika the Iggy already works with several designers directly, since the shape of her body is quite original. Some of her favorites include Hound Around, Grig Paris, BonGoof NYC, Loko Pet Apparel, and Iggy Clothing.
Tika embodies what we all feel at the moment: lost souls in swimsuits looking anxiously at a closet full of beautiful things impossible to wear at the moment, such as shiny dresses, textured and patterned pants, heels and wallets that carried us strolling.
But not so fast – Tika teaches us that, although it is impractical, fashion can be used and enjoyed just for the sake of fun and personal expression.
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