Dezeen Showroom: 88-year-old Finnish designer Eero Aarnio has added a minimal cat ornament to the Eero Aarnio Originals collection, informed by the strays he would take in as a child.

Kisu – a word that translates from Finnish into English as "kitty" – is Aarnio's first take on the character of a cat, after having previously created various products representing dogs.

The Kisu cat designs were inspired by Aarnio's childhood, when pets weren't allowed in the apartment building where he and his family lived in Kallio, Helsinki.

"Young Eero would take home stray cats who were wandering in the part of the city where the family lived in Helsinki," the brand explained. "Eero's mother would let him keep the cat for one day and Eero loved to play with them."

"Even though the Aarnio family ended up having a dog, Eero has always found cats charming as well," the brand continued.

"The cat has always been a very sympathetic animal character for me," added Aarnio.

Suited to both indoor and outdoor environments, Kisu is made from polyethylene and comes in two colours, black and white. The black version is made entirely from the factory's own defect materials.

The cat ornament is the latest addition to the Eero Aarnio Originals collection, and was launched on 21 October 2020 and is now available to order.

Product: Kisu
Brand: Eero Aarnio Originals
Contact: [email protected]

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