At the time of writing, the world and many within it are waking to a new day and fighting to ensure that we have many more to come. Sustainability – it’s a hot topic and one that we are becoming more and more conscious of in our day-to-day lives. Whether buying better produce, consuming less, recycling more… there’s a shift in mindsets and saving the planet is one of them. As we move towards living a life that is less ‘throw-away’ and more ‘use now, AND later’, we begin to question our investments beyond what catches the eye straight away. “How many times will I use it? How long will I have it for? Am I going to be able to pull this off next year? Do I really want to buy into something that everyone else is too….?” And so forth.
I am confident that my readers are on-trend, trend-setters, or at least aware of ‘trends’ that they are purposefully not buying into. But there’s one trend in mind that just keeps on coming, season after season, life after life, and all the years in between - and so I feel more than comfortable in promoting it and pushing for you to invest for now and forever. (I have also been dedicated to it since birth, so it’s all good news for me.)
The fashion. The fabric. The fantasy. Yes, it’s leopard print (or Cheetah print if you must) and yes, it is here to stay. Every season, it crops up somewhere and if it doesn’t come down the runway, you can be sure it will appear within street-style blogging or the pages of next month’s Vogue. (When it came to editing this piece, Emma Watson had just been publicised on the cover of Vogue UK wearing a leopard coat and the matching hat. I am officially supported by the fashion Gods!)
Throughout history, the leopard has been a symbol: A symbol of power, wealth, glamour and stature. So how does it have such lasting appeal? For me, it begins with the beauty of the animal: strength, power, agility, sensuality and definition. Watching videos of leopards is captivating and empowering, as if they are a vehicle of their own confidence and composure. Every move is calculated and every movement is defined. It’s feminine and ferocious – two things which I would happily associate with. It’s a silent predator, using those colours to blend in as much as being the reason it stands out. Leopards take no prisoners and are proud of the dominating prowess that they have. Honestly, any adjective you place to describe the animal transposes to apply to its prints and the woman, man or home that it adorns, and rightfully so.
Undeniably, fashion sets the scene. From the scandalous flappers to the established ladies of the 60s, 1980s punks and 1990s glamour-pusses. It transcends the boundaries and finds its place somewhere amongst every clique. And with every appearance comes an undeniable sex appeal and the sense of promiscuity. In 1954, it was Christian Dior who famously wrote that “to wear leopard you must have a kind of femininity which is a little bit sophisticated. If you are fair and sweet, don’t wear it.” i.e. you have to have some form of ‘bite’ to pull it off. That’s why the likes of the fiery Naomi Campbell or the sultry Elizabeth Taylor wear it so well. But looking through the archives, so do the likes of Queen Elizabeth and Nancy Raegan, and who can forget Lady Di and her leopard swimsuits too. The common denominator? Ladies wearing leopard print are forces to be reckoned with and even just an accent of leopard has the power to push your confidence and bring sexy back in the most sophisticated way. I know that leopard is everywhere at the moment, but my key pieces below will help you keep it a little bit chic and a whole lot of lady every season coming:
In the world of interiors, the print appears throughout the year and in the homes of the glam-obsessed, the maximalists, the boho pad and the Soho pad, the traditional and transitional. In 2019 we have seen rugs combining the leopard with punchy colours and contrasting backdrops, a summer of leopard posters and prints for our walls, leopard dinnerware and kitchen accessories, as well as those infamous leopard statues guarding a number of fireplaces across the country. With the resurgence of all things 90s in fashion, I am genuinely enthusiastic about the return of the classic print-on-print overload that was so popular years ago – thank you Victoria Beckham and the world of WAG glamour – and my welcoming transcends the wardrobe and the walls we live in too. One thing I love about leopard print is its versatility. Perhaps because the various breeds of animal are found far and wide, across the continents and throughout the cultures within them. That’s why it can be pared with various strands of interior design and the styles of décor that you may have. See below for my top home picks and some interior inspiration from both decades and from days ago:
@ Architectural Digest
@swoonworthyblog
The images above prove the stylistic versatility of the print, looking right at home within Chinoiserie elegance as well as contemporary chic. The images below are a few ways you can get some leopard into your home without having to go the whole 1990s print-on-print way (but who's to blame you if you do?):
And finally, iconic goes to new levels with these: just look at that Jackie K smile. She knows.
Stay Fierce! A x