Leopard prints quietly crept up from last Fall’s runways, appearing sparingly in collections and on celebs from Gwen Stefani to Lindsay Lohan.  This Spring, however, animal prints will be out in full force.  John Galliano at Dior featured them on Palm-Beach-chic ensembles in his resort collection, and dedicated an entire show segment to the look in his Spring show (above).  Derek Lam featured it on secretary blouses and sportswear.  And Roberto Cavalli’s H&M capsule collection used leopard prints as its main motif, putting across a striking image in the line’s instantly recognizable ad campaign .

It wasn’t just leopard though - Galliano also featured other animal prints on his sexed-up slip dresses and suits, and many a collection featured brown and khaki safari looks that gave the appearance of being straight out of the wild.

One should be wary of animal prints, however; there is a fine line here between glamorous and trashy.  These prints should never be paired with one another, and are best when worn with very few (and preferably neutral) colors. 

For the less wild at heart, leopard print pumps (like these by Anne Klein) or chic scarves are easy ways to test the waters with this look.  For the more daring?  A Calvin Klein coat or a dress by Milly is sure to turn heads.

 

Posted on December 30th, 2007 by ashley