Wherever we go, people always seem to be very complimentary about the Persian Cat Press logo. We’re glad that it seems to strike a chord with so many people and we thought we’d tell you how it came about.
Over to our Creative Director Jos Carlyle:
“I was at my mother’s house, chatting to my brother Roabbi one Autumn afternoon. We were sitting on the floor, kind of lounging around in that comfortable way that siblings do together.
“As always, there were pens, paper and books scattered around (we both wrote, drew and read avidly). That day we were flicking through some graphic novels, talking about the books we were going to publish together one day: those kind of extraordinary, beautiful, limited edition books that take your breath away and smell wonderful.
Rob was not long out of hospital, having recently suffered a psychotic episode due to his schizophrenia. At one point during the episode he’d firmly believed he was a Persian cat. We laughed about it, lounging around the floor, decided that we’d name our mighty, wonderful-smelling publishing empire Persian Cat Press, and began to idly doodle some logos.
“We doodled away for a while, cats in all sorts of poses, just from memory. Most of the doodles were comical, but some were pretty good. I think it was later that evening we started stylising the cats’ bodies with lines.
“Later still we found some cat silhouette images. That’s when things started getting elegant as we applied our lines idea to some slender proportions.
“After that the sketches got waylaid amongst the years, dust and inevitable piles of paper. But they were never lost – and when Persian Cat Press was incorporated in 2010, the sketches were there to define us from the start.
“Operations Manager at the time Sam Perry was charged with the job of taking the original pencil sketch and turning it into a digital design. This design was passed to Changing Horizons, the company that was building the Persian Cat Press website, and their designer Steve fine tuned it into the logo we have today.
“For me, the Persian Cat Press logo is important because it’s the realisation of a dream – made possible by the legacy of two people I loved, and still love, deeply.
“My brother’s death left me vowing to one day build that company we’d laughed about that day.
“My mother’s death not long afterwards confirmed to me that life is what we make it, that we should make every day count and our dreams a reality.
“The Persian Cat Press logo represents the fact that this business is a very personal endeavour to me; that I consider it a family.”
I love this story, it moved me to tears. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
To me the lines are also slightly reminiscent of a fingerprint, and form the shape of a flame. We carry our family within us, and they influence the unique marks we make on the world. Then we pass the torch along . . .
Very best to you Persian Cat Press
Jos says: That’s a very beautiful reading of the design, Mimi. You’re now officially helping us to carry the Persian Cat Press torch – I hope you feel suitably bathed in its light
What a poignant and elegant tribute to the special people in your life.
To me, the logo reminds me of those moments when you come across something that just makes you pause and reflect before moving on.
Jos says: Thanks Gill. I’m glad that’s what the logo makes you think of. It’s important – to pause from time to time. We all get so caught up in our busy lives. It’s good to remember the people who helped shape them….
A beautiful logo created by two very precious people…its so much more than a ‘corporate logo’ and I’m so proud that you’ve shared the story behind it. The logo always had mystery, wisdom and warmth to me…now that seems even more true. Love xxx.
Jos says: Thank you dear Angela. It sounds to me like you’ve seen yourself in the logo. And knowing that you have gives me both great strength and genuine pleasure x
I always wondered both about the name and the logo of the company. Knowing Jos, I knew that there should have been a strong reason for both being there, apart from just sounding and looking beautiful. Reading this story it all makes perfect sense and moves me to know that both have such strong emotional connotations for Jos. Coming from the heart they undoubtedly give an extra strength to the blinding aura that surrounds already this newly formed creative entity.
Jos says: Othon, you are joy itself. And coming from the heart is exactly how I think of you.
The whole team here at Persian Cat Press is thrilled at your involvement with the Minno Ballet app. What an incredible score! We can’t wait to bring the project to fruition next year… so very exciting
We shall make the angels and ghosts proud….
I wondered right away if it might be Persian calligraphy.
Jos says: It isn’t Persian calligraphy Matthew, but oddly enough ancient writing scripts were something else that my younger brother used to feel connected to. Another of his more recurrent schizophrenic personalities was an arab.
It makes me wonder what ancient energies channel through us from the past..