This is a story about fit
I’m Nina, and this story starts with Lola, my Italian Greyhound.
While she is the inspiration for everything I do, the journey began with a real frustration over fit of the clothes we owned. I watched Lola struggle with sleeves that sagged and necklines that stretched until her clothes became a hazard rather than a comfort. After seeing her catch her own limbs in excess fabric during a full-speed run, the mission for Strela became clear to me. If she is going to wear something, it should fit properly.
The arrow at the heart
In Serbian, my native language, Strela means arrow. It was almost Lola’s name, and it eventually became the only fitting name for this brand. It encompasses everything about these beautiful dogs. They move with the speed and precision of an arrow, and they have a way of hitting our hearts just as directly. Strela represents that same sense of precision in my tailoring. What started as a personal project to keep Lola safe and comfortable soon grew into something more. People began asking about her wardrobe, and before I knew it, I was crafting pieces for other dogs.
The architecture of the curve
I built Strela to replace generic pet-store items with an aesthetic that is minimal, elevated, and entirely reliant on form. My goal was to solve the problems a sighthound's physique presents by creating garments that honour their natural grace without the distraction of unnecessary embellishments. I focus on high-quality fabrics chosen individually for their quality and tactile appeal. I design and create garments for dogs that we as humans can appreciate just as much.
A heritage of craft
The craft behind the brand is my family legacy. While Strela is a modern London studio, it is rooted in forty years of professional garment making. Growing up watching my mother master the intricacies of tailoring taught me what real quality looks like. It isn't about a label. It is about the integrity of a stitch and how the material feels to the touch. This ingrained eye for detail defines my studio today. By combining my background in design with decades of inherited expertise, I treat sighthound outfitting with the same respect as a bespoke human wardrobe.
Intentional making
Production at Strela is a deliberate act. To avoid the waste of mass manufacturing, I make every piece to order in London. This slow, intentional approach allows for a level of care that a factory floor cannot replicate. I craft each item by hand from select batches of fabrics, ensuring that every garment leaving the studio is made with purpose and built to last. Strela is about the simple luxury of a perfect fit. It is designed for the sprint and the stroll alike.
From my family to yours, thank you for being part of our story.
Nina & Lola