Animal prints are back on trend! With the city having to bid winter goodbye, Hyderabadis are flaunting their favourite warm pieces before these go back to the wardrobe for another few months.
“The leopard print coat is a key piece for winter 2022,” says renowned fashion designer Archana Puneeth from Archana & Puneeth. “Well, not just the coat, animal print shoes, bags and scarves are a must in your wardrobe,” she says.
Even if one is not big into fashion, they pretty much own a piece or two with animal print. The best part about it is that animal prints aren’t hard to find — be it a high-end exhibition or the local bazaar!
“Who says one has to wait until winter to wear their favourite animal print; spring has some good collections too! And it’s not just the leopard print that’s in vogue — there’s a lot more. Whatever Paris and New York wears, it gets to the rest of the world,” Archana shares.
Tiger stripes
The designer says that despite the many other prints, there’s one kind that has made appearances on runways across all four fashion weeks for Spring 2022 — tiger stripes. “This particular animal print roared the loudest in Italy at an exclusive animal print-heavy Robert Cavalli show. I read that it was also a hit in New York at Proenza Schouler, Paris at Kenneth Ize and more,” she tells CE.
Fashionista and popular influencer in the city, Bhavya Natasha, loves her animal prints and believes nobody can go wrong with this trend. “Animal print, when done right, is never truly out of style. The trick lies in not overdoing it, keeping it minimal and not loud,” she says.
Talking about why it’s a fad that’s always trending, she shares, “In my opinion, animal prints are synonymous with the desire to experience the energy of the exotic lands. The most common pieces are comprised of sumptuous-looking silks and synthetic fabrics that flow across the body, creating a relaxed silhouette.”
The influencer believes that animal prints don’t need much effort to pull off. “The very design makes it a chic statement in itself. I absolutely love my leopard print dress and it’s one of my go-to dresses in my closet that makes me look confident and effortless.”
While many would wonder that if animal prints aren’t exactly anything new, how does the trend manage to remain timeless and ever-evolving, Archana says, it’s the newer prints that help keep the look popular! “For example,” she says, “This year, designers have been experimenting with snake prints. Next time, it’ll be something more spectacular.”
Fashion influencer from the city Tanusha Bajaj is not a big fan of loud animal prints, however, she loves to play it safe with prints such as zebra and cowhides. “I like to keep it minimal and calm. Also, they work in my favour because I love going the monochrome way most times. I’m careful about how I carry it too, it’s a small bag or pants, so as to ensure I don’t overdo it,” she says.