See the Stylish Cats of the Algonquin Cat Fashion Show
Photo: Amy Lombard
Cats and fashion go hand in hand. See: Choupette Lagerfeld, or Rachel Antonoff’s runway cat, Lyle the Bashful. So imagine our excitement over attending the Algonquin Copy Cats Round Table, a literary-themed cat fashion show at the famed Algonquin Hotel yesterday, where we met eight divas of the cat world, including cat, rat, and dog designer Ada Nieves. Though divas might be too strong a word, as one pet owner reassured us, “There’s no catty behavior here. That’s so rare in the entertainment and fashion industry, you know? We all just really love animals.”
So, are dresses inspired by Mark Twain, Beatrix Potter, and Edgar Allan Poe going to be big in the world of cat fashion next year? Click through our slideshow for shots of some of our favorite looks, both on the animals and their owners.
Sioban Moore and Aodhan Aodhan and sibling Nial wore matching Mardi Gras costumes.
Photo: Amy Lombard
Malika Samuel, Ferrara Did you practice walking?
"I used cameras and flashes before, actually. Like, okay, let's just get her used to the f...
Malika Samuel, Ferrara Did you practice walking?
"I used cameras and flashes before, actually. Like, okay, let's just get her used to the flashes. She's been really good; she wanted to hide underneath the couch at first. She'll get over the stage fright!" Photo: Amy Lombard
Daisy, in a light-up, Christmas-themed dress What are her some of her beauty secrets?
Owner, Marybeth McGowen: "She takes a shower every tw...
Daisy, in a light-up, Christmas-themed dress What are her some of her beauty secrets?
Owner, Marybeth McGowen: "She takes a shower every two weeks. She gets her nails clipped every week. She's high-maintenance. She doesn't have any complaint. It's not her favorite thing to do, but she tolerates it. We shower every two weeks. You have to stay clean to wear fashion." Photo: Amy Lombard
Aimee Henkell Photo: Amy Lombard
Zahra Meherah and R2D2 "R2D2 is a haughty model with a growly attitude. He's so alpha, he doesn't even need to postulate. He's like, 'You al...
Zahra Meherah and R2D2 "R2D2 is a haughty model with a growly attitude. He's so alpha, he doesn't even need to postulate. He's like, 'You already know nobody trumps me.' He would be the Tyra Banks of cats."
Photo: Amy Lombard
Q as Ernest Hemingway "Q is my Christy Turlington. He's soft, sweet, and absolutely gorgeous," says owner Zahra Meherah. "They've ...
Q as Ernest Hemingway "Q is my Christy Turlington. He's soft, sweet, and absolutely gorgeous," says owner Zahra Meherah. "They've done Cats 101 on Animal Planet. He's been a backup cat in a couple of commercials. He’s an almost-commercial model."
Karen Frewert and Tigger Why did you enter Tigger in the show?
"I want him to be a model. He's so cute and so good. I want him to have a mo...
Karen Frewert and Tigger Why did you enter Tigger in the show?
"I want him to be a model. He's so cute and so good. I want him to have a modeling career. I see all these cats in ads. He’s just cuter. His eyes are stunning."
Does Tigger dress up at home?
"Yes. Mostly he just dresses up in his bow ties. He loves his bow ties."
So, who is the cat to beat?
"That gray Persian over there in the corner, hogging all the attention!" Photo: Amy Lombard
Matilda the Algonquin cat, pictured on cat-fashion-show passes.
Photo: Amy Lombard
Aimee Henkell and Milo Henkell cradles Milo, who's dressed in a Cats-themed shirt hand-painted by organizer and cat-fashion designer Ada Nieves. ...
Aimee Henkell and Milo Henkell cradles Milo, who's dressed in a Cats-themed shirt hand-painted by organizer and cat-fashion designer Ada Nieves. "He's a big, bossy dude," Henkell says.
Photo: Amy Lombard
Nial "This is his fourth year. The past three years, he's been dressed as Carmen Miranda. Everybody knew him. It's his signature. He looked ...
Nial "This is his fourth year. The past three years, he's been dressed as Carmen Miranda. Everybody knew him. It's his signature. He looked like a fruit basket. He had the hat and the dress and everything. The first time he came, he was curled up in a ball, and people thought he was a stuffed animal," says owner Moore.
Photo: Amy Lombard
A woman in the crowd wearing a cat shirt.
Photo: Amy Lombard
Aodhan How do you keep Adohan's fur so fluffy and shiny?
Moore: "Uh, you just wash it." Photo: Amy Lombard
Carol Wilbourn, cat therapist, shows off her perfectly appropriate footwear.
Photo: Amy Lombard
Carol Wilbourn, "Cat Shrink" "I'm a cat therapist. I started my first practice in 1973. I used to call myself a feline behaviorist...
Carol Wilbourn, "Cat Shrink" "I'm a cat therapist. I started my first practice in 1973. I used to call myself a feline behaviorist, but now I go with cat shrink. I'm just here to calm the cats if they need me!"
What's the biggest psychological problem facing cats?
"Cats not using the litter box. They [have] to be in really bad trouble if they aren't using it. It’s a symptom of anxiety." Photo: Amy Lombard
Ferrara Ferrara luxuriates with some catnip after a long day wearing her dress and hat. Moments later, the dress comes off.
Photo: Amy Lombard
1
/
15