Animal Prints. Yay or Nay?

From leopard prints to black-and-white zebra stripes. From Bambi’s adorable spots to your favourite farm animal, the cow print. Every line of animalistic patterns has been blotted into the fashion world. 

Serving as symbolic metaphors for strength, wealth and power, the eye-catching prints breathed life into the industry long before we could say ‘serve’.  From phone cases to quirky furniture and from an accessorised scarf to a room dedicated to your favourite animal print decor, animal prints have tunnelled their way and made a huge statement. But the most important question is, are these prints a fan favourite or just a personal taste?

The History of Animal Prints

The Ancient world dressed to impress. Animal prints were the picture of royalty and status. Made popular in the ancient civilisations of Egypt and Rome, leopard prints depicted nobility and divinity. 

What about the Middle Ages? They were not strangers to animal print culture. Mostly worn by members with status and power. 

Napoleon’s men did not just serve their country, but they served style and aura with their leopard- skinned brass dragoon helmets, while the colonial era saw animal prints as prized possessions and trophies. 

The popularity of animal prints heightened in the 1940s, and it stretched from bejewelled accessories to extravagant ball gowns. The 60s and 70s also served as a symbol of provocation. 

Fast forward to the 20th century, animal prints were not just symbols of royalty and power, but a form of self-expression and societal metamorphosis. 

The Lookbook of Fashion Houses

Feline prints made a dramatic entrance through the work of Christian Dior, in his “New Look” collection in 1947, naming one of his models Jungle, after the leopard print he had developed with a silk manufacturer, Bianchini-Férier. 

Yves Saint Laurent’s version of the leopard print exudes femininity and liberation during the 80s.  His vision of leopard print clothing and accessories echoed throughout the 20th century, and guess what? It still rings today. 

Robert Cavalli revitalised the animal print to a level of pure glamour. The ‘Leopard King’ himself saw that these majestic patterns form an artistic expression of God and started copying ‘God’s design’. His presentation of cheetah prints in the 90s to his zebra and butterfly prints in the late 2000s made heads turn. 

Gianni Versace incorporated different styles with the incorporation of the leopard print in silk shirts in the Men’s prêt-à-porter collection. 

The 21st Century Fashion

The 2010s marked the saturation point of animal prints. “Gaudy”. “Too Loud”. “Tacky” are some of the descriptions of animal prints. Attention is what drives one when one walks into the room with a full-length gown of a desired animal print. Well, who wouldn’t, right? A few have even gone to lengths to incorporate the print into a whole lifestyle ensemble. 

Its comeback in the 2020s has resurfaced on Instagram and TikTok feeds with a bolder statement, recapturing the timeless “Golden Age’ of fashion. The movement of animal prints into everyday comfortable attire has indeed become a fan favourite. With celebrities embracing it in more chic, nonchalant everyday wear, fans have successfully mimicked the effortless looks and maybe even elevated them further.  

Playing with similar prints for a casual look, experimenting with textures and patterns for an ideal night out, a minimalistic accessory to tie the whole thing together for date night, or an all-out statement to express your obsessions with the print, animal prints have indeed become an identity to many. 

The inclusion of animal prints in fashion is marked by self-confidence and bold statements. For most women, sensuality and femininity are mostly associated with leopard and cheetah prints. Beyond these statements, animal prints are a symbolic gesture of dominance, individuality, and the epitome of power. 

Animal prints have revolutionised the fashion industry, and they have trickled their way into everyday casual looks and not just high-end fashion. But is it everyone’s cup of tea or just another social media hype?