Fortnum & Mason has become synonymous with the festive season and all the delicious food and drink that surround the celebrations. This year, for the first time ever, Fortnum’s famous red-coat cladded cats offer a behind-the-scenes scoop into what Christmas preparations go on at the world’s greatest corner shop. 

A play on the word “catalogue”, Fortnum’s feline friends first appeared in iconic artist Edward Bawden’s witty and playful illustrations, showcasing the brand’s Christmas collection in 1958. Edward Bawden’s work continues to inspire Fortnum’s some 61 years later and the brand’s latest festive displays, depicting Gold wheels, pipes and machinery adorned with cogs and dials, each tell a fictional story of what happens behind the scenes.

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The deliberately over-complicated machinery, expertly operated by a host of red-coat cats, humorously (and somewhat accurately) suggest the amount of detail and thought that is required when producing something branded with Fortnum & Mason.

The British retailer has revealed the eight charming festive displays to coincide with the 312 year-old brand’s second ever Christmas film release.