The Tamesis
You’d think we’d all be obsessed with dogs Fashion——To a certain extent, you are right! But I’m here to report that cats have always had a place in our pages, too: they appeared in the magazine’s first issue in 1892 (!) and inspired countless covers, photo shoots and stories in the years that followed.
The latest kitty to fascinate us? Stars of ‘Crazy Reality’ Shop Cats. In each episode, host Michelle LaDonna will pass by a grocery store, mom-and-pop shop, or some other small store that she hears has a cat inside, and the result is pure feline fantasy. “People always think of New Yorkers as having a grumpy face,” Micheladona said. “But when I started asking shop owners about their cats, they melted.”
exist Shop CatsMicheladona likes to play “hunter or gatherer” with her subjects: will they chase a feathered cat wand, climb on piles of paper towels to get to their prey (these are the hunters), or lie down on checkered tiles and wait for the toys to come to them (the gatherers)? It’s a bit like a personality quiz—one of Michelle LaDonna’s favorite things about cats is how perfect they are themselves.
“They were stingy,” she said. “They know their boundaries. Cats will tell you exactly where they want to be as pets, how long they want to be, and when they’ll end. They’ll also let you know when they’re no longer interested in you. It’s an inspiration.”
On a recent near-freezing day in New York, we were Fashion Decided to switch things up a bit and play a version of Hunter or Gatherer where Micheladona’s wand was replaced with the swinging, sparkling jewelry from the spring runway. (Please note: no necklaces or paws were harmed while taking this photo.) Our model? Some of the coolest cats in New York City: Willy, Luna, Casper and Simba.
