We can all agree that the internet really just serves as a conduit for adorable cat pictures (with porn coming in at a close second), but lately cats have clawed their way onto many a high fashion spreads in rags such as Vogue, Elle and V.

Choupette and Laetitia Casta pose for the September 2012 issue of V.

Perhaps the most sought after cat of the moment is Karl Lagerfeld’s kitty, Choupette. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Lagerfeld describes her as “a stunning beauty”, who languidly lunches on pâté and croquettes out of Goyard dishes. Oh, and did I mention that she has two maids, a driver, and commands her those around her with her princess-like antics and her “blue, blue, blue, blue, blue” eyes (those are Papi Lagerfeld’s words, not mine).
 

Thanks to the graces of Choupette and others, these creatures no longer conjure up the bygone image of the crazy cat lady, but rather they have charmed their way into our collective psyche as something sexy, sassy, well-bred and positively feminine. And with the advent of highly successful memes such as Keyboard Cat and OMG Cat, the fashion industry can’t afford to ignore the universal appeal of the cat.

Model Elyse Taylor for British GQ

Apparently, the cat is no stranger to the editorial pages of V, these images are from a 2009 issue. 

Besides appearing in the flesh and fur on the pages of glossies, kitties have inspired an influx trends. From cat-ear hairdos in Tokyo to Miu Miu cat-print platforms, cats seem to have quite a few lives ahead of them in the world of design.

Bold swimsuits, leggings and dresses adorned with images of Persian cats by Latvian designer QooQoo, available on Etsy.