Grace Coddington Reflects on Cat Obsession in Walter Chandoha's New Photography Book

Grace Coddington, the legendary stylist, contributes an essay to Walter Chandoha's photography book 'Family Cats: From the Archive 1949–1968', published by Damiani Books. Coddington details her lifelong passion for cats, tracing it back to childhood interactions with feral felines near her parents' seaside hotel in North Wales. She recounts her personal history with numerous cats, including three current Persian cats named Blanket, Blondie, and Jimi, and previous pets like British Blues Brian and Stanley, Tabbies Maureen and Daureen, Chartreux Coco and Henri, Madame Grey, Puff Puff, Bart, and Pumpkin. Coddington connects her professional life in fashion photography over 50 years to Chandoha's work, noting her own photography collection includes cat-themed images by Irving Penn and Edward Weston. She expresses admiration for Chandoha's humorous and personality-driven cat photographs, such as a clown kitten laughing and Loco boxing before a mirror. Coddington also mentions her partner Didier, with whom she shares a love for cats, and reflects on how cat ownership impacted her personal life, including her first marriage due to her husband's allergy. The book features an illustration by Coddington and is currently available.