One trend that is almost always exclusively reserved for womenswear is animal print, but over the past couple of seasons menswear designers have been embracing their wild side and including a range of wildlife-inspired patterns in their collections.
The animal print of choice this year? It has to be snakeskin, which goes hand-in-hand with the leather trend that (premium) designers have been trying to push for SS14.
Brands as varied as YMC, Saint Laurent and Trussardi all made use of snakeskin patterns for SS14, applying them to a wide range of garments including blazers, shorts, shirts and trousers – typically in conventional shades of brown, green and khaki.
Elsewhere, Richard Nicoll incorporated snakeskin within his showcase in bright shades of blue, creating an interesting colour dynamic. Likewise, the collection by Sibling followed a similar route, incorporating leopard prints in a variety of blue tones. The ambitious pattern was applied to shorts, hooded sweatshirts, sweatpants and sleeveless shirts for a relaxed and sporty aesthetic:
Finally, Saint Laurent’s dark and edgy collection featured extremely ambitious animal prints, including a cropped leopard print blazer in yellow and black shades, and a daring pair of black and white zebra print skinny trousers paired with hot pink boots:
Clearly the use of animal print, and particularly exotic skins, in the industry remains a controversial issue and it’s certainly not something that will appeal to all men – but the fact that some of these motifs have made it as far as the high street suggests that there’s a niche market for it.
SS15 References
Animal prints were slightly rarer within the SS15 collections, although there were a couple of high profile proponents: Roberto Cavalli and a certain Mr Tom Ford.
Cavalli applied snakeskin in classic earth tones to trousers and shirts, with the overall aesthetic surprisingly masculine and rugged. Ford, on the other hand, utilised leopard and tiger prints on tailored swim shorts and a striking cobalt blue blazer:
Lookbook Inspiration
Current Pieces
If you’re unsure about animal print, or it’s your dipping your toes into the trend, try sticking to easy to wear pieces such as accessories or t-shirts. A leopard print tee paired with classic black jeans creates an edgy rock ‘n’ roll-inspired aesthetic that oozes rockabilly cool. Combine with a high pompadour and you’re good to go.
Alternatively, bombers or sweatshirts with contrast animal print sleeves help contain the pattern to your arms and therefore reduce its impact slightly:
