We at Paco Collars are passionate about a great many things, but the short list is: dogs, leather, craft, and community service. As a company we try and combine these things into one tidy package that your dog can conveniently wear around their neck.
A Paco Collar is not just about the product (which happens to be a pretty fine product), but the journey behind it.
If you want a more detailed explanation of the steps it takes to make a leather dog collar, check out our article in Craft Magazine… and you’re always welcome to stop by our Bay Area studio and inquire about our internship program.
Now, come meet the crew…
Paco
Paco grew up on the mean streets of Oakland, California. Runty, wormy and mangy, he was looked down upon by the more popular pit bulls on his block. However, while they all aspired to starring in music videos, Paco dreamed of something more. That’s when he met Ana Poe.
Even at an early age, Paco could see the potential in this bright-eyed young woman, and decided that his place was as her mentor. Paco adopted Ana and made her his apprentice.
After his success with Ana, Paco took on more protégées, and thus Paco Collars was born! Paco and his lackeys have dedicated themselves to spreading their love of fashion to both the canine and the human world.
*Paco tragically passed away January 24, 2009. His body is gone but we carry on his name and his mission. RIP, little buddy.*
Xochitl, aka Xdog
Xochitl (“So-Chee”) is a Xoloitzcuintle who hails from Oaxaca, Mexico (if any of that didn’t make sense, just click here) and is the newest addition to the Paco Collars family.
It’s not yet been determined whether she’s more dog, cat, monkey, rat, kangaroo, sphynx, dinosaur, or chupacabra, but what is certain is that she’s 100% adorable and voted “Most Likely to Survive in the Wild” should the entire Paco Collars crew get stranded on a desert island (or she might be voted “Most Likely to Become Dinner”… it’s uncertain to say unless really put in that situation… boat ride, anyone?).
Whether you’re a true dog connoisseur or simply one who is inexplicably drawn to road-side attractions, you need to come meet this hairless wonder (who happens to kick it in the studio most every day). Much like our collars, she’s unique in every way.
Pirate
By day, Pirate is a mild-mannered Siamese who enjoys flirting with everyone she meets, singing for her supper and leisurely surveying any and all computer projects.
By night, she leads Paco Collars’ super-secret task force. Pirate roams the studio expelling insect intruders, whipping Paco’s canine members into shape, and demanding attention during company meetings. She has defied death multiple times, making her a kind of superhero, even though she absolutely refuses to wear a cape.
Ana Poe
When Ana Poe was a little girl she dreamed many dreams: super powers, tame hippos, motorbikes, her beloved goats winning the best in show 4-H ribbon…
It wasn’t until she hit her twenties that pit bulls and leather appeared in the dreamscape (No, not like that!). It was the kind of “what if I could combine my love for my pets with art and somehow make a living?” type of dream. In 2002 Paco Collars got out of Ana’s dreams and into her car, in a manner of speaking. And if you must know, that car is a super hot cream Mercedes running on bio-diesel.
When Ana’s not busy breaking hearts — or the knee caps of Paco’s enemies — she can be found sketching out new collar designs, teaching her new cat old tricks, or pretzling herself up in hot yoga.
Ana’s been working professionally with dogs since 2001. She has a BA in art practice from UC Berkeley and is an all around smart cookie. Despite these fine achievements she insists on watching “All My Children” on a regular basis. If you need to know more, visit anapoeland.
Juliene Bartley
Juliene has been with Paco Collars since it’s birth! When not shaking her fist angrily at the Mac, making pretty magazine ads and pretending to be listening in meetings, Juliene is a dog trainer and handler at Pride & Pedigree : Doggie Daycare, enjoys cuddling with her dogs, riding her horses, drawing, reading, nerding out over comic books, cheering on rodeo cowboys, learning to ride a motorcycle and working on her first fantasy novel. She may look fourteen, but she isn’t; we think she may be a vampire. She’s rarely seen without a cowboy hat, which may or may not be the only thing preventing her hair from consuming us all.
Paul Caluscos (a.k.a. Mr. Marioworld)
Paul means business. You can find him at the flea market. Paul graduated high school. Paul writes great essays.
Tim Soldahl
Tim is the #1 Dork in Paco Collars (disputed title). He busies himself with the computering and papery side of collar making. He loves bike riding, cooking, train rides, and butchering the english language. Once he even rode his bike on top of a train while cooking an egg. His pride and joy which he values over everything else is his nerf gun collection, comprised of like tons of nerf guns.
“G”
G wanted very little said about her. In fact, she wanted absolutely nothing written about her. Well, too bad. Rumor has it she’s an excellent artisan, accomplished scholar, and will kick your ass with martial arts mastery if you cross her. So there.
Anna Schrag
We affectionately refer to Anna as “A-Dog” because of the prevalence of “Annas” in the studio. She doesn’t mind the nickname, perhaps because she loves dogs so much, in particular her Golden Retriever, Lobo. She loves him so much she refuses to work somewhere she can’t bring him with her. Luckily we also love seeing Lobo’s cute face at the studio.
Anna has a BA in Political Science and Art from Lewis and Clark College and is embarking on a second degree in Industrial Design from California College of the Arts.
Bianca “More Rhinestones” Foss
As a child Bianca saw an infomercial for the Bedazzler and knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. As the Paco Collars decorator extraordinaire, she bejewels and studs each collar by hand. In addition she is renowned for her in-house DJ skills and her knowledge of astrology. Her interest in aesthetics and decoration led her to pursue a degree at California College of the Arts studying everything from fashion design to book-making.
She is currently working on her lifegoal of never wearing the same outfit twice.
Josh Radloff
Hailing from Brew City (or “Milwaukee” for all you non-midwesterners), Josh packed up and moved to Berkeley to escape the cold. One day he was wandered into the Paco Collars studio and wandered out an official intern. He does a little bit of everything at the studio and the amazing thing is, he’s good at all of it.
Here are some other things Josh is good at: photography, rock climbing, hiking, bike building, and traveling. Way to make us look bad, dude.
