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OUR AMERICAN CURLS
featured on CATS 101 AIRED SEPTEMBER 2009 - Animal
Planet's much anticipated program after last years success,
has shot another---this time on 4 cat breeds, and a special
human interest segment. (don't know which other breeds)
After they shot our Premiership Curl 2 weeks ago for one of
the segments involving playing together with other breeds on
a studio set, Planet came to our home a week ago and shot
hours of just our Curl kittens playing and being "on" the
way Curls can do it. Amazingly enough, we had 3 litters,
each 3 weeks apart, so it was really a great display of
breed development and lots of silliness to say the least.
Cameras were following the kittens around on the floor as
they sped through their cat tunnels, leapt from cat trees,
and assembled all in unison as if on cue on the window
sill, when they noticed a flock of gulls flying passed,
with the Empire State building in the background. Really
cool. It was a purrrrfect day light wise and the kittens
were demanding the spotlight. I thought all was done for the
Curls' segment and I was very very pleased to have been part
of both segments. Well it wasn't over.......
Planet called a few days later and wanted to add a "human
interest story" to the program. The premise proposed was "a
day in the life of a NYC hat designer and how Curls
influence the process of the actual hat designs." They
wanted to follow me around doing what I do during the day
from sketching, design inspiration, buying fabrics, and
stopping into stores that carry my hats. Whew. Funny how
they picked up on this from just being here the week before,
because Curls are definitely a huge influence for me. From
naming hats after kittens, to actually matching fabric
colors to kittens, and a more obvious one, the "Urban Chic
Cat" hat I did seasons ago, which I am bringing back this
fall season needless to say.
On Tuesday May 12, after much phone planning, Animal Planet
was in our home to shoot this story all day--- I had gotten
one hours sleep the night before from all the anticipation,
but felt fine to my surprise the next day at 8 AM when all
the equipment piled in! I chose Madeleine Curlbright, our
lovely and effervescent 2 year old for my muse, and boy was
I right! She was amazing and stunned everyone with her
expressive antics and cooperation. She was a natural.
For the first 2 hours I was on camera alone answering many
questions, then with hats on, then designing in my studio
with Madeleine there to guide my design thoughts, placing
her paw on fabric and faux fur combos she liked. It
was easy talking about the Curl and their personality, but
the best part of the day was to come when the crew followed
us doing our thing--buying fabrics, stopping into local
shops, getting in and out of Taxis, all while I held
Madeleine under my arm on a gold leash all day. One stop was
a high end dress boutique that sells my hats on the lower
east side called Honey In The Rough, where Madeleine looked
up as we entered and demanded to walk along the long wooden
shelf above all the hanging dresses. We put her up there,
where 3 dresses were displayed on the brick wall that really
interested her. She walked up to the first dress, sniffed
the hem and turned around to the camera as if to say, "no,
not this one". Then on to the second dress. Same thing. Not
that one either. Then without any coaxing on our part, the
camera followed her to the third dress, where she stopped,
sat up on her hind legs, stretched out her paws along the
wall next to that dress, and turned to the camera as if to
say, " this one mommy." Then she came up the the camera and
sat there licking her paws as if to say she did her thing,
lets move on. It was naturally the show stopper dress called
"Swan Concert" that was a perfect choice that I would have
actually chosen for myself, to prove Curls have an inherent
sense of what their persons like. The Planet production
manager, Betsy, was exactly after this kind of thing to show
these traits of the breed in action after talking about them
-- and all in one continuous shot. Hope they use it!
Several more shops, a delicious lunch, then off to the
fabric store in mid Manhattan. Madeleine picked out great
wool tweeds, the most expensive I might add, and then she
pranced upstairs for the faux fur shopping segment to end
the day. She was in her element, strolling through the
colored furry aisles, swatting the sample swatches dangling
from the bolts, and looking up as she picked out selections
for me to have cut. As the owner sliced through the fabrics,
she was on the table chasing along beside the scissors,
sliding, jumping around, and engaging everyone that came in.
It was a wrap at 5 PM. I was so relieved and happy it all
went so well, and I have Madeleine to thank most of all,
along with a very professional, friendly Planet crew to make
it all one of the best experiences I have ever had--Curl or
otherwise.
The "perfect, simple" black dress and shoes: $730
2 dozen white roses and a gold leash : $108
Madeleine picking the "Swan" dress: PRICELESS
Caroline (in the City)
curls
www.procurlharem.com
hats
www.carolinescottnyc.com
art
www.carolinescott.com |
