Gucci. Photo: Courtesy
The cool girl’s alternative to leopard print has more pizzazz – by wearing it, you’re simply saying, “I’m here and I’m ready to party!”. Zebra stripes are loud, confident, and attention-grabbing and require little more from the wearer than an appreciation of their power. To dress in zebra is to shake off all inhibitions, to whole-heartedly embrace the sartorial maximalism of monochrome and ‘own it.’
Valentino. Photo: Courtesy
For fall, fashion’s longtime love of zebra was felt strongly at Michael Kors, where 60s inspired mini skirts, fitted jackets, and roomy coats championed the print. But animal wasn’t the only motif to make a monochrome statement: lozenge or diamond-like designs showed up at Dior (via a stunning floor-length gown embellished with roses), Gucci (a remarkable shearling coat was paired with little more than a single earring, mini top handle bag and flat pumps), and Valentino (with one of the coats of the season rendered in an elegant diamond print duster style).
Positively of the moment and yet, funneling a retro vibe, these are prints that will work hard with the rest of your wardrobe. Calculate the wearability of Isabel Marant’s zebra print ankle boots (pair them with just about anything), or a diamond design leather handbag (try Saint Laurent, and simply add denim or streamlined tailoring for a fast-track to Parisian chic), and you’ll see that these are pieces that will give you real bang for your bucks…
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