New Trend of The Prowl: Animal Print

Photography by Marianna Reyes

Like a snake, like a leopard, animal print is slithering its way into our upcoming fall wardrobes. Over the Fall/Winter 2021 fashion week, animal print was spotted on the runways of Celine, Dior, Lanvin, Michael Kors, Max Mara, and more. The galloping zebra stripes and the prancing tiger print turned this season’s catwalk into a zoo. Yes, thanks partly to Gen-Z's recent obsession with and the resurgence of ‘90s fashion, the eccentric animal prints are back again in full force this fall. But to embrace this on-trend animal print, you don’t have to dress in a full leopard print coat from those big brands like Bottega Veneta. You can equally rock the look with a spot-on statement accessory.

Like a Leopard

The sleekest of all the safari-load animal prints, the spotted leopard print allows you to prowl the street like you own it. Among all kinds of wardrobe choices, fuzzy leopard bucket hats are on the current rise as we see them being worn by fashion icon celebs like Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa, as well as from brands like Urban Outfitters and UNIF. A cool girl’s alternative to the basic beanies, the fuzzy, leopard-spotted hats give off a chic, confident look this winter. 

The leopard allure, which evokes a bit of a raunchy, wild vibe, can be seen as far back as “the post-war 1920s to Dynasty and Debbie Harry’s 1980s—a cycle of glamour, trashiness, transgression, and back,” The Guardian reports. As burlesque expert Jo Weldon explains in her book Fierce: The History of Leopard Print, there is an all-time desire for this fierce pattern because it allows us to express ourselves freely and make us stand out. While these distinctive patterns serve as camouflage for animals in nature, humans don them to be noticed. By wearing this playful, fierce, sexy, vibrant pattern, we demand an audience as we flaunt the leopard spots on the stage, the catwalk, and the streets. Adding a touch of a wild side to our everyday apparel, the leopard pattern gives us the excitement and thrill of the “good girl gone wild” vibe, much like the confidence of female power that we see in The Cheetah Girls’ leopard band clothes, slumber party robes, and their leopard tracksuits.

Zebra Rising

Though zebra prints can look a bit monochrome in color with full black and white, wearing the pattern as an accessory can surely make your look more playful and fun. Unlike other chaotic animal prints, the classic, jagged black and white print is more easily incorporated in one’s style. The graphic has already won the likes of supermodel Kendall Jenner, as she sparkled on the street with big and bold zebra-striped pants paired with a plain black puffer coat and bulky white sneakers in 2019. In fact, carrying it as a handbag under your arm and keeping the rest of your look uncomplicated is also enough to give you a ‘90s vibe. Zebra stripes were also seen during the 2021 fashion week, with slouchy boots, long coats, and satin dresses. During the Fall/Winter 2021 collection runway, the print also made a few winning cameos, like a zebra-print coat at Stand Studio and in shearling at Michael Kors.

Cow-mouflage

The trend for animal print also seems to be moo-ing from the west. The western-inspired cow-print pants are roaming the high street, featured either in brown or black spots. Earlier this year, we saw Ariana Grande giving off yeehaw energy in her minimalist style, with a taupe tube top and high-waisted cow-print jeans. It’s the naturalistic color that allows you to pair with almost any other piece, from neons to subdued neutrals. Whether pairing it with a black oversized puffer, a breezy blouse, or a vinyl jacket, you can walk on the wild side with a cow pattern emblazoning your outfit. Cow prints were also heavily used in Anna Sui’s Fall/Winter 2021 collection. The collection brought together the designer’s whimsical, fantasy-filled design of floral, check, and stripe patterns with the rather monotonous black and white cow print. The clash of the two opposite types of designs worked together rather well with “cow-print deep U-neck jumpers worn with lacy blouses,” according to VOGUE Runway.

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Animal print never fully goes out of style. Whether it be the spotted leopard print, golden blazed tiger, or sleek zebra stripes, fashion draws back to the wildlife-inspired patterns from time to time. Appreciating the use of print—rather than the actual skin—also allows us to step closer toward the embracement of nature, allowing us to have fun in fashion in a cruelty-free, nature-friendly way. But in the end, it’s the joy, the fantasy, and the excitement that should push you to incorporate animal print as a new addition to your fall wardrobe. From Rihanna’s faux-fur bucket hat from R13 to Kendall Jenner’s snake-print ankle boots from Miista, it is no doubt that the animal prints are going wild in trend. Nature-inspired prints will sooner or later urge you to fling open your wardrobe doors and embrace this bold, wild palette for fall.