I'm writing this from Northern Ireland, which means I'm not actually at the Festival of Cats this weekend — a fact I'm choosing not to dwell on too much. But pieces from our cat collection are there, and the timing feels significant enough that I wanted to write about it properly.
This Bank Holiday marks something of a quiet turning point for me and Hiro + Wolf. I've been designing this brand for over a decade — starting at my sewing machine in East London, making every piece by hand, drawing every fabric myself. And somewhere along the way, I stopped talking about it. This is me starting again.
The kitten I found on a run
In November last year, I was out for a morning run when I found a kitten abandoned at the roadside. She was approximately three weeks old — eyes still bright blue, no mother in sight. After getting her checked at our local vets, I brought her home, named her Kumo, and spent the follwing weeks feeding her every few hours and living with her in my lap.
She was alright. More than alright, as it turns out.
Kumo is now the most confident, ridiculous, affectionate creature I've ever shared a home with. She behaves less like a cat and more like a very small dog (she insists on sleeping on or next to Hiro at all times) with extremely high standards. She has become, in the most unexpected way, the reason I'm more excited about our cat collection than I've ever been.
What we make for cats
The Hiro + Wolf cat collection has always been close to my heart, but if I'm honest, cats have sometimes felt like the quieter half of a brand that started with dogs. Having Kumo has changed that. I find myself thinking about the cat pieces differently now — not as accessories for a cat, but as accessories for this cat. A cat who goes outside. A cat who gets looked at. A cat who likes to play and knows how to find the most comfortable sleeping spot.
Everything in our collections is handmade in Britain and Nepal using fabrics I've designed — the same fabrics, the same care, the same obsessive attention to hardware and finish that goes into every dog collar we make. Our stretch cat collars are lined with soft velveteen and fitted with a safety elastic strip, because a cat who goes on adventures needs a collar that comes off if it needs to.
My proud cat mum moment
My proudest moment this year was putting her in her first collar and bow tie, expecting it to be wrestled off immediately. It's still on 4 weeks later. Apparently she takes her role as brand ambassador as seriously as she takes mouse catching and climbing trees. (Very seriously. Sorry mice. At least we can relax knowing the tinkly bell on her collar warns the birds in the trees she loves to explore.)
Handmade in Britain. Designed for curious, adventurous cats who deserve something beautiful.
Shop cat collars, bandanas and bow ties →
Why the Festival of Cats matters
Events like this one are a reminder of something I've always believed: the people who love their animals most are also the people who care most about the things they buy. They want to know where something was made, who made it, and whether it was worth making. That's exactly the kind of person I make things for.
If you're at the festival this weekend — hello. I hope you find something beautiful. And if you spot our pieces, I'd love to know what you think.
More soon. There's a lot I want to tell you about — where our fabrics come from, how things are made, what's coming next. I'll be writing here more regularly from now on.
Amy x
-