Proenza Schouler S/S 10
At the moment, the animal kingdom seems to be where the fashion industry is taking great inspiration from. Leopards, reptiles, zebra’s and the like seemed to have wandered from the jungle and can now be seen plastered on various fashion pages alongside eye-catching headlines like, ‘Tribal Mania’, ‘Safari Chic’ and so on. I wish they would just tell it like it is and print, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, for the next few months alone we are saying that being ‘African’ is in’.
I have always been a huge fan of animal print- maybe it’s because the exciting colors allow me to let my imagination run wild (pun intended) and I transport myself to Studio 54, where I can see myself dancing the night away in a voluminous sheer leopard print maxi.
Here are a list of some of the designers from S/S 10 who are responsible for this grrrrr-eat trend.
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Diane Von Furstenberg
When it comes to getting my print-fix, I always turn to DVF and she never disappoints. Scrolling through her S/S 10 collection which showcased animal print in the form of turquoise leopard print dresses, shirt dresses, jackets and swimsuits- I finally settled on this image as it shows that animal print can be worn on the top and bottom of an outfit, if it’s done properly. Also I believe this is the sort of ensemble that 30-50 somethings can carry off, if they wish to follow this trend. To take this look from the catwalk to the streets, I would advise a much plainer top during the day, something monochrome- black always works a treat. It’s best to save the metallic tops for evening time and I’d actually go against this image and not add a belt to the top, to stop your outfit from looking ‘too busy’.
Dolce & Gabbana
I love it when bold colour and animal print join forces, as they do in this outfit. Due to the cut of this Dolce & Gabbana dress, I personally think it’s a style for 20-30 somethings. I also love the cute bow tie-up detail on the side of the dress and with the dominant red colour being predicted as the colour for the next A/W season, you’d do well to invest in this frivolous and floaty beauty.
Paul Smith
This pair of leopard print shorts by Paul Smith should be the top item that you pack for your summer holiday. It’s also a perfect piece for ladies who believe that ‘less is more’ and don’t want the print to dominate their outfit. The great thing about shorts is that they can be dressed up or down. During the day, you can cavort around the beach in these shorts by teaming them up with a simple vest and you can carry on with the outifit well into the night by slipping on a blazer and vertiginous heels.
Alexander McQueen
A McQ showed us how animal print could be used in a futuristic and avant garde manner by creating short, reptile-patterned digitally printed dresses in an array of mouth-watering colours. This type of dress does not need much accessorising as the oufit pretty much speaks for itself.
Eyola
This fab Eyola dress is not strictly S/S 10 but I couldn’t resist sneaking it in because it shows how animal print can add a serious dose of Hollywood glamour and sex-appeal to an oufit.
Lanvin
When one is not sure on how to pick the right pieces that fit a trend- accessoring is always the best way to go. J’adore this snakeskin clutch, I actually have something very similar which I picked from Balogun market years ago- BARGAIN!
SHF credits- style.com and afi.sdr.co.za
