The Pitter Patter of Charlotte Olympia’s Cat-Faced Flats

Charlotte Olympia created the “It” cat shoe of 2011 with her collection of feline-inspired flats, heels, and platforms that sold out in stores.

They graced the soles of fashion-savvy starlets such as Beyoncé, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Katy Perry. 

Just in time for summer, Olympia has refreshed the blood reds and leopard prints of last year’s collection with a velvet skimmer in cool shades of black, blue, and pink. While the cat flat still features the same signature embroidered feline face and pointed ears, she has added grosgrain trim and yarn embroidery to give an updated espadrille look. 

The shoes, which are handcrafted in Italy and come with a handy Polaroid to help keep track of them in your closet, are selling out quickly through the designer’s website, despite their hefty pricetag. While feline fashionistas may have had their paws crossed that the lighter look would lead to softer pricing, Neiman Marcus is currently stocking the Capri kitties at $845 a pair! 

Vote for Bublik, the Russian Kitten Candidate!

With the collapse of the USSR, the world opened up for Russia and the numerous small republics and satellite nations that had been assimilated into the Soviet machine. Lots of people expected Western influence to land with a resounding boom, but nobody expected that influence would become so pervasive that cats would run for political office.

Until now.

When Bublik heard about Hank the Cat’s candidacy for a U.S. Senate seat, he decided to launch himself into the Russian political fracas.

Bublik, a 3-month-old Siamese look-alike whose name roughly translates to “bagel” in English, threw his hat in the ring for a seat in the Sverdlovsk Oblast, a region located on the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains.

The cat’s press secretary, Ivan Kolotovkin, announced Bublik’s campaign earlier this week on Facebook and on the Russian social networking site Vkontakte.

Kolotovkin says that while Bublik hasn’t fully formulated his platform beyond an antineutering stance and the demand for lower cat food prices, he will continue to study the political environment and get input from his supporters to ensure that his campaign appeals to humans as well as to cats.

Bublik’s campaign slogan is “For a Fun Future!”

The cat plans to start his career with a run for a seat in the March 2013 legislative elections in Yekaterinburg, a city of 1.4 million people that serves as the unofficial capital of the Ural Federal District.

Kolotovkin says Bublik plans to write to Hank to express support and willingness to cooperate. Just goes to show that international diplomacy is important in the feline politisphere, too.

What makes Kolotovkin so sure that Bublik has a good chance for victory?

“[Bublik is] the best because he’s the only politician who gives no promises,” he said.

What We’re Obsessed With: The Limited-Edition Leopard-Print Bike from Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana takes a ride on the wild side with this leopard-print bicycle!

The limited-edition cruiser, dubbed the Animalier Bike, is part of the D&G Spring/Summer 2012 collection, and showcases the fashion flair people have come to expect from the name.

An homage to vintage bikes, the Animalier features gold gilt components, a luxurious leather seat, and a bike bell embellished with the D&G logo.

It’s sure to turn heads when you go pedaling down the street on it. That’s if you’ve got a few (hundred) bucks to spare!

Story and images via 2LUXURY2