Xcel Brands, in another move to broaden the scope of its portfolio, is partnering with famed dog trainer Cesar Millan and K9 Wear to launch a new brand for pets called “Trust. Respect. Love by Cesar Millan.”

Millan has a social media following of over 21 million people and a television show, “Better Human, Better Dog” on National Geographic and Disney+. His first television show, “Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan,” ran from 2004 to 2012 and aired in over 80 countries. He’s written seven books co‑authored with Melissa Jo Peltier, and conducts workshops on training dogs.

“Cesar is a world-renowned dog trainer but he’s beginning to be open to birds, cats and other pets. But for our initial launch, everything we’re doing is focused on dogs,” said Robert W. D’Loren, chairman and chief executive officer of Xcel Brands Inc., the media and consumer products company specializing in building influencer-driven brands through social commerce and livestreaming.

“We’ve done pet products before, such as collars and leashes, but never to the extent like we are doing with Cesar and K9 Wear. This is a high-growth opportunity for us. There’s a strong human-animal bond with Gen Z and Millennials driving the growth in the pet industry, and we believe Cesar has been for the last 20 years the voice of the industry. He is part of our new strategy of building a portfolio of brands with 100 million social media followers by 2026.”

Currently, Xcel’s brands have 45 million followers, D’Loren said. The publicly traded company owns the Halston, Judith Ripka and C. Wonder brands, as well as the co-branded collaboration brands TowerHill by Christie Brinkley, LB70 by Lloyd Boston, GemmaMade by Gemma Stafford, and also holds non-controlling interests or long-term license agreements in Isaac Mizrahi, Orme Live and Jenny Martinez Live brands. In addition, Xcel owns and manages the Longaberger brand through a controlling interest. Brands in the New York-based Xcel’s portfolio have generated in excess of $5 billion in retail sales via livestreaming in interactive television and digital channels.

Next year, Xcel is launching “Off Duty by Coco Rocha” a casual, denim-driven fashion collection with Rocha, the model and social media influencer. “There will be more to come in the fashion space and one in the wellness space,” D’Loren told WWD. In April, Shanghai-based United Trademark Group, a brand development and licensing company producing a range of products, invested $9 million in Xcel.

Trust. Respect. Love by Cesar Millan will launch with apparel, accessories, toys, training tools, food, nutrition, grooming tools, shampoos, deodorizes, cleaners, small appliances, electronics, and other products — all for dogs. Also being produced under the brand name will be apparel designed for dog walkers, with such special features as reflective panels and sleeves with flashing light boxes for walks at night; water-repellent shells, and pants with knee pads. Each product will have a QR code on it, to reveal a video with Millan discussing the product. Much of the assortment will be made in China, Vietnam and Cambodia. D’Loren said products for cats, birds and other pets could be offered down the road. The brand is scheduled to launch early 2026 and will be shown next March at Global Pet Expo, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

According to the American Pet Products Association, sales of pet supplies in the U.S. reached an estimated $157 billion in 2024, with pet food and treats accounting for $67.8 billion in sales. In 2020, sales of pet supplies in the U.S. reached $103.6 billion.

K9 Wear Inc. designs and manufactures pet accessories and apparel and created the world’s first interchangeable apparel harness, which allows for attaching different garments for different occasions, such as for rain protection or for extra padding. In addition to Xcel Brands, K9’s collaborations include Tommy Bahama, Natori, Izod and Trina Turk. “Merging our company’s vast pet-industry expertise with Cesar’s specialization and emphasis on form and function enables us to deliver the most unique and innovative pet-accessory products to the market,” Frank Cammarata, CEO of K9 Wear, said in a statement. (He’s the son of Ben Cammarata, the former chairman and CEO of TJX Cos.)

“Every product is planned and designed for the well-being and comfort of both, the dog and its pet parent, incorporating a modern, casual and functional style,” Millan said. “We have developed a complete line of products in tune with my natural, simple and profound philosophy.”

Xcel expects to sell its upcoming pet collection through select retailers, e-commerce platforms, and live shopping channels. Major pet retailers include Petco, PetSmart, Tractor Supply, Chewy, Amazon, Walmart and TJMaxx. There are also thousands of small, independent pet shops.

Asked if he is a dog owner, D’Loren said, “At one time, I had three labs and a golden retriever at the same time. They all aged out, and now I’m raising little kids, a 3-year-old and a 4-and-a-half-year-old.”