Last updated 17 September 2026. This page will be updated on the night of the broadcast.

If you have arrived here after seeing a trailer, a headline or a post about a pet portrait company going into the Den, you are in the right place. This is the official Lucy & Lola page, written by us, and it is where we will put everything about the episode: when it is on, what we do, what you can order, and how long things take. We will update it on the night once the episode has aired.

Who are Lucy & Lola?

Lucy & Lola is a British pet portrait brand based in Cambridge, England. We take the photo you already have of your dog, cat, horse or rabbit, design a portrait from it, and stitch that portrait onto sweatshirts, hoodies, blankets, cushions, bags and more. Nothing is printed. Every piece is embroidered to order in our own studio, and nothing goes near a machine until you have approved the design.

Official images. Credit: BBC Studios / Dragons' Den.

When is the Lucy & Lola episode of Dragons' Den on?

If you want a reminder, the simplest thing is to add it in BBC iPlayer, or join our email list and we will send one on the day. We are also doing a watch party and will be posting from it on the night.

Who is Lucy Bowes?

Lucy Bowes is the founder of Lucy & Lola. She started the business in 2021 during lockdown after rescuing Lola, a dachshund, teaching herself to use a secondhand embroidery machine at home. She was working in finance at the time, and is a CIMA qualified accountant. In 2026 she was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list. She runs the business from Copley Hill Business Park in Cambridge with her co founder and husband Andy Cheung.

The short version is that nobody in this story was an embroiderer. Lucy learned on one machine, in a house, with a dachshund asleep nearby, and the business grew from there because the portraits looked like the actual pets rather than a generic outline.

How did Lucy & Lola get from one machine to the Den?

• 2021Lucy rescues Lola and buys a secondhand embroidery machine during lockdown. The first portraits are made at home.
• Early daysThe business starts with printed designs and moves to embroidery once it is clear that stitching gives the realism people actually want.
• February 2022The brand launches properly on its own Shopify store.
• GrowingA feature in the international press over Christmas brings hundreds of orders overnight. The team exhibits at Crufts and more than fifteen Dog Fest events.
• Spring 2025Lucy films her pitch for Dragons' Den.
• 2026Lucy is named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list. The studio moves to Copley Hill Business Park in Cambridge and the team grows to a full production floor of embroidery machines and local staff.
• 24 September 2026The episode airs on BBC One at 8pm.

What happened in the Den?

What we can tell you is what went into the Den with us: the actual products, made on our own machines, by our own team. Every Dragon was given one. That part you will see for yourself.

What does Lucy & Lola actually make?

Everything starts with a photo you already have. You upload it, we design a portrait from that photo, we send it to you to look at, and you can ask for as many changes as you like. Nothing is stitched until you are happy. Then it is embroidered onto the item you chose, in our Cambridge studio, and posted to you.

We stitch dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, hamsters, birds and reptiles. If your pet is none of those, send us the photo and ask. The honest answer is that we have stitched some unusual animals and we would rather tell you plainly if yours will not work than take the order and disappoint you.

Can I order the products from the Dragons' Den episode?

How does ordering work, step by step?

• 1. Choose your itemPick the sweatshirt, hoodie, blanket, cushion or bag you want, plus size and colour.
• 2. Send your photoUpload it with the order, or send it to us afterwards if you have not picked one yet. A clear, well lit photo of your pet's face works best.
• 3. We design the portraitEvery photo is reviewed by a person, and the portrait is designed from that photo.
• 4. You approve itWe send the design to you. You can request unlimited revisions. Nothing is stitched until you say yes.
• 5. We stitch itMade to order on our machines in Cambridge.
• 6. It shipsPosted to you, worldwide. You get tracking.

When is Lucy & Lola not the right choice?

We would rather you knew this before you ordered than after.

• You need it in a few days. We cannot do that. Everything is made to order and the dispatch window at checkout is real. If you need something tomorrow, buy a gift card instead and let them choose later.
• You only have a dark, blurry or very distant photo. The portrait can only be as good as the photo. We will tell you if yours will not work, but if it is the only picture that exists, manage your expectations.
• You want a printed design. We do not print. Everything is embroidered, which is more expensive and takes longer, and that is a deliberate choice rather than an accident.
• You want a full body portrait in fine detail. Embroidery is brilliant at faces and less good at tiny detail at small scale. Head and shoulders is what we do best.
• You are on a tight budget. We are not the cheapest pet gift you can buy, and we will not pretend otherwise.

Frequently asked questions