INF x Picture Book Collaboration: Gilly the Black Cat

**2022AW EXISTENCE** https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52266589223_fdc23fabbe_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52108441017_ea8d8c3d33_b.jpg This season, we collaborated with Taiwanese illustrator Chou Yi, using the picture book "Gilly the Black Cat," a medium rarely explored in fashion, as an introductory concept. The story's narrative weaves together the essence of Taiwanese life. Story: Gilly the black cat loves to scratch the sofa. Whenever its owner isn't paying attention, Gilly often scratches the sofa into its favorite fringed texture. "Meow!" the owner mimics, holding Gilly's favorite puree, "What's this?" Temporarily diverting Gilly's attention from the sofa. Gilly devours the puree fed by its owner, purring with contentment. This is Gilly's daily moment of happiness. Unexpectedly, a newly adopted white cat disrupts Gilly's blissful life. The pretty and gentle white cat is perfect in every way—not picky about food, never misbehaving, and always capturing the owner's gaze wherever it goes. Overnight, Gilly fades into the background like a shadow. Even the puree is given to the white cat, one tube at a time. But what Gilly finds most unbearable is hearing the owner whisper the same sweet nothings to the white cat that were once said to Gilly. "Meow! What's this?" "Meow! Come to your owner's lap!" "Meow! Want to play in the room?" Every time the owner says "meow," Gilly whimpers inside. Unwilling to accept this, Gilly extends its long claws and, in front of the cuddling white cat and owner, furiously scratches the sofa. Gilly no longer wants to scratch secretly when the owner isn't looking; Gilly wants to scratch openly, to reclaim the owner's affection. "Your punishment is no canned food today! And no more puree from now on!" the owner shouts at Gilly, even trimming its sharpened claws. Gilly has never seen its owner like this. Gilly realizes it's worth less than a sofa, let alone that white cat. It begins to question its own existence. Watching the flocks of sparrows flying freely in and out of the window, the dejected Gilly starts to long for the outside world. So, Gilly makes up its mind to run away. It squeezes through a small hole it had gnawed in the balcony as a kitten—an entrance to the outside world it thought it would never use, but which now proves useful. Without looking back, Gilly leaves home... **Want to read more of the picture book? Want to know if Gilly ever returned home?** **Please purchase "Gilly the Black Cat," a collaboration between INF and Taiwanese illustrator Chou Yi.**