Fashion Designer Jason Wu Just Created a Line of Cat Products
Felines strut their fluff to help cat-care brand Cat Person introduce a line of products from Jason Wu, who's best known for designing Michelle Obama's inaugural gowns.
Wu's "Haute CATure collection" features stylized but eminently functional items. There's a bowl, litter box, metal scoop, catnip toy (shaped like a dog) and a logo-hoodie for humans.
Luxe fashion director Cason Latimer shot a sleek, minimalist anthem with hot "catwalk" action. Kitties work it for all they're worth, nuzzling the merch to a techno-pop beat:
What cat wouldn't dig that stuff? (Well, one comes to mind, actually.)
"What I didn't love about the other products on the market is that they were either unattractive or too complicated to use," Wu says in the interview clip below. "Cats are kind of like my best friends. So, I wanted to design accessories and cat-care items that a human being would want to use."
Um, we'll pass on giving the litter box a try. Still, c'est très chic!
Below, two Cat Persons chat with Muse about the launch:
Muse: Where'd the CATure idea come from, exactly?
Corbin Pendleton, director of brand marketing, Cat Person: We're all about elevating the cat care experience. A part of that has been addressing the limited and poorly designed options out there—think floofy scratching posts or kitchy food bowls. We kept feeling like cat people deserved better, especially when it comes to objects they use and live with every day. Collaborating with a fashion designer felt like a natural way to do just that.
Why Jason Wu?
Pendleton: His aesthetic and design philosophy is obviously gorgeous, but more than that, he's been a devoted cat dad for the past 18 years. We got in touch and quickly connected over the frustrations of not being able to find beautiful and effective cat care solutions.
Who's the target audience, and why will they respond to this approach?
Pendleton: Cat people who are tired of feeling like second-class pet parents. We don't just love our favorite animals for being cute. We love the full dynamic of their personalities. We do believe this approach of elevating cats and their products to this level of craft will resonate in a way that your typical cute and cloying cat advertising does not.
Can you talk about making the films? Any tails from the set? (Sorry.)
Erica Pressly, creative director, Cat Person: Seven different cats appear in our anthem. The handlers knew their cats well, and suggested we work with one or two that we didn't call back from the initial casting session. It's a good thing we took the handlers' advice, because some of the cats we selected didn't perform when the time came. Two of the better performers were a mom and daughter duo.
Also, I have a newfound respect for Sphinx cats. They're super intelligent and surprisingly warm and cuddly—although our Sphinx cat fans out there already knew that.
Does it lampoon or draw inspiration from any specific fashion videos?
Pressly: We wanted to have fun with the world of fashion without making fun of it. The idea of Haute CATure is certainly tongue in cheek, but we intentionally steered away from the world of parody. Each item in the collection was seriously crafted, and we approached the film's craft seriously to reflect that.
Why'd you pick Cason Latimer to direct?
Pressly: Our anthem doesn't follow a strict narrative, so we had more leeway to find a partner with a strong visual style. When we met Cason, we knew he was the person for the job. Cason's background is in photography. He has a knack for giving life to inanimate objects, which were the very things we wanted to elevate. He does this through his masterful use of light and motion. We referenced the light passes he did with his Cartier work as something we wanted to see [in our film].
The soundtrack, "Nice" by Goldhouse recalls "I'm Too Sexy," which goofed on fashion. Why'd you choose that track?
Pressly: An atmospheric number would have tipped the scales toward parody. Instead, we wanted something fun, bold and confident to create a vibe that was unapologetically proud to be just for cats and their people.
Each item in the collection gets a :15 promo, too.
CREDITS
Creative Director -- Erica Pressly
Copywriters -- Scott Ginsberg, Andrea Rose
Art Director -- January Vernon
Designer -- Jahan Hashemi
Marketing Director --Corbin Pendleton
Producer --Katherine Cheng & Jennifer Moore Bell
Director & Still Photographer -- Cason Latimer
Rep -- Peggy McDonnell/WIB Agency
Production Company -- Very Rare Productions
DP -- Dan Rothman
Editor -- Catherine Gionfriddo
Editorial Company & Post House -- PS260, New York
Post Producer -- Ingrid Nunn, Natalie Raffaele & Zarina Mak
Colorist -- Alex Jimenez/Company 3 New York
Audio Engineer -- Rob Fielack/Screaming Penguin
Soundtrack -- Goldhouse "Nice"
Music Supervisor -- Good Ear Music
Retoucher -- Smooch New York
