Karl Lagerfeld and Choupette (1933-present, German)

Karl Lagerfeld (1933-present, German) is an eccentric fashion designer and creative director at Fendi and Chanel, where he created the interlocked CC brand logo. At the beginning of his fashion career, he was unsuccessful, creating clothing that was unpopular with the conservative views of the time. Even though he uses fake fur for his creations, and does not eat meat, he is still a supporter of the use of ‘real’ fur in fashion. He has come under fire from PETA for doing so. He is also known for making derogatory comments about the singer Adele and even Pippa Middleton.

Lagerfeld received Choupette, a red point Birman cat (b. 2011) as a gift. Choupette is cared for by two devoted maids Françoise, whom Choupette is said to prefer and Marjorie.

With over 58,000 social media followers, Lagerfeld has noticed that “People are stunned by her … Soon people will talk more about Choupette than about me!” Lagerfeld announced that he wished to marry Choupette. He said in an interview with CNN, “There is no marriage, yet, for human beings and animals… I never thought that I would fall in love like this with a cat.” Lagerfeld feels that Choupette has made him a better person.

Even though Choupette has appeared in photoshoots, Lagerfeld is not keen on her modeling unless it is for him, stating “I’m commercial; she’s not.” So, don’t wait to see her in a cat food commercial, as Lagerfeld has proclaimed that she’s “too sophisticated for that.” And don’t expect to see her dressed in clothing either, as Lagerfeld has proclaimed that to be “circuslike”.

Perhaps mirroring her owner’s demanding and eccentric personality, she is said to hate children and other animals and must have attention 24/7. “She has lunch and dinner with me on the table, with her own food,” Lagerfeld says. “She doesn’t touch my food.”

Lagerfeld remarks, “She is the center of the world. If you saw her, you would understand. She is a kind of Greta Garbo. There is something unforgettable about her, the way she moves, the way she plays. She’s an inspiration for elegance. For attitude.”

Lagerfeld says when asked if he’d ever write a book about her, “Colette had written a lot about cats. I am not Colette, but I think it could be funny to make a little book of Choupette’s diary,” and he did Choupette, the High Flying Cat was published in 2016 and outlines her life.