Grace & The Catwalk Cats

 If you saw 'The September Issue' two years ago I'll bet you fell in love with US Vogue magazine Creative Director, Grace Coddington like I did.

 I went looking for other things she'd done and found her whimsical The Catwalk Cats (which you can find reasonably on Amazon used).

 It's loaded with drawings of Grace's cats, made on hotel writing paper tripping round the world and then faxed off to her partner Didier Malige recounting her adventures in the fashion race.

 Sometimes Grace draws herself sitting by the catwalk (with Puff and 'Anna').

 I was busy drawing cats yesterday so didn't get to post - please forgive.

 Included in Catwalk are Didier's photos of their adorable kits...

 When I heard Grace had a memoir out I was thrilled. Enfin

 Starting from the getgo it tells of Grace's early days growing up on a small island off Wales, Anglesey.

There were sand dunes in the distance and rugged monochrome cliffs strung out along the coast. And Druid circles. And hardly any trees. And bleakness. Although it was bleak, I saw beauty in its bleakness. There was a little sailboat called Argo that I used to drift about in for hours in grand seclusion when it was not tethered to a small rock...I was fifteen then, my head filled with romantic fantasies, some feuled by the mystic spirit of Anglesey.

There are Grace's drawings here too along with many fashion shots...

On Growing UP

In which the winds howl,

the waves crash, 

the rains pours down,

and our lonely heroine dreams of being Audrey Hepburn.

Is it any wonder that Grace Coddington's pages in Vogue are wildly romantic?

 At age eighteen Grace goes off to 60's Swinging London to attend modeling school and win a modeling contest and the rest...

 Well Paris waits, Karl and his cats and the haute couture. Many, many intriguing adventures later, including a couple of husbands etc. Grace has the gift of being in the right place at the right time as well as landing on her feet, like any good cat does when she encounters adversity.

 Is there a single fabulous fashion photographer Grace hasn't worked with? I doubt it. Yet she remains humble throughout the book to both her creative gifts and open to experiencing everything to the fullest that comes her way.

Her family had a crest, a dragon breathing flames, and a motto:
"Nil Desperandum" (Never Despair).

 Grace - A Memoir is an inspiring, adventurous book. You'll be enthralled.

MERCI GRACE!

 

"The September Issue"

Still from The September Issue

Last Friday (opening day) I saw.

R.J.Cutler's documentary, "THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE" and I loved every minute of it.The main diva is editor and chief of Vogue magazine, Anna Wintour. When Wintour says "No" you can hear it round the fashion world. As for Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada, a suggestion it was based on Anna Wintour is dismissed by director, RJ Cutler,

"Their offices look alike but Meryl's performance is very theatrical and histrionic. She jumps up and down and throws her coat all over the place. Anna Wintour doesn't need to do that. She is a very economical with her gestures. It is in the nuance, a glance, but you know how she feels. Everyone around her knows how she feels." But the real star of the movie is Wintour's creative director, brilliant Grace Coddington, seen taking copious notes.c/o The September Issue

There's plenty of Paris in the movie, not just New York's Fashion Ave. I particularly loved a scene of Grace in the back seat of a Paris limo recalling that mentor and famed Brit photographer, Norman Parkinson told her,
"Never shut your eyes or go to sleep in a car, train, anywhere. You might miss something inspiring..."
That's my M.O. too. In Paris I'm too busy looking and being inspired every damn second of the day.

Still from The September Issue

I loved all the scenes of how the "book"/issue is put together.

Still from The September Issue

The constant editing process to come up with the most vibrant issue possible

Scrapbook upon scrapbook of color and trend ideas - it takes a lot of work to get that thing out. Inspiring!

Grace directs the fashion shoots and comes up with ideas at the last minute that save the day.

Still from The September Issue

And leans towards the wildly romantic spread you sometimes see in Vogue.

Care of Vogue Magazine

Grace is a mad cat lover.

Photo by Steven Meisel of look-alike-Grace-model

And formerly a Brit model, so she's been on both sides of the camera.

Care of Vogue Magazine

Plus she draws her cats and co-produced this fabulous cat book - The Catwalk Cats.

Grace loves to give the models treats at the shoot and there's a delicious moment where cherry tarts are on offer (in Paris bien sur) to a model being tied into a tight, tight satin corset - not-to-be-missed!
BONJOUR SEPTEMBER!