Trend file with Secret Closet: It’s a Jungle Out There!

Roberto Cavalli has remained loyal to his signature pattern — the leopard over the years.

While everyone was attending the bridal fashion event of the year (much to our envy), we had the great opportunity of attending Roberto Cavalli’s Fall 2012 Collection Fashion Show in Hong Kong, which was quite incredible.

There is absolutely no comparison between watching the actual movements of the fabric on the ramp and viewing the stills later on. It reveals so much more about the refinement of the silhouette and masterful tailoring technique. When it comes to animal print, no one does it better than Cavalli. His authentic jungle prints are insanely realistic and the tiered ruffles that he added to the dresses had an immediate impact of a jungle cat gliding down the stage!

Cavalli has remained loyal to his signature pattern — the leopard over the years and the fashion house shows no signs of changing its spots yet. From pythons to crocs and tigers, if it is a life threatening beast, it is an inspiration. Although we were never animal print enthusiasts, it is shaping up to be our current obsession and suitably so with the onset of Autumn/Winter; maybe it was Cavalli or the live tigers and leopards we saw. Our search for the most exotic and bold patterns led us to the creations of our very own Shehla Chatoor, Maheen Karim, and Layla Chatoor.

Karim recently designed exclusive animal and snake-skin print dresses for the models at the Issey Miyake perfume launch. The stunning floor length gowns were draped in signature Maheen Karim style with fluid structures and minimal detailing that let the prints do most of the talking. A specialist of western couture, Karim has an innate understanding of using shape and cut to highlight a print.

Shehla Chatoor’s luxe silk animal print asymmetrical cocktail dresses shot in Niche Lifestyle Magazine are absolutely thrilling as well. We love the leopard and tiger blended print from her Fashion Pakistan Week 2011 (FPW) collection. She effortlessly manages to infuse an uber rich and luxurious appeal with her signature gold touches that further adds to the exoticism of the design.

Layla Chatoor showcased her alluring version of the jungle theme at the launch of Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) Boulevard in New Delhi. Her gentle and naturally flowing silhouette added a feminine touch to the daring prints. She certainly knows how to work the curves. The elemental rawness of jungle prints never gets old and that is probably why this trend has stood the ultimate test of time. It appeals to our most primal senses and if you notice you will always look twice at someone dressed in it.

Aside from apparel, we adore touches of animal fur in accessories as well. While we’re in no way endorsing the use of authentic animal skin, we do love the engineered textures on handbags and belts. So add a bit of the wildlife to your look this autumn! Key tips would be to avoid detailing the fabric with excessive embellishments — the beauty lies in the print and the focus should be on an edgy cut to pull it off. Not to mention, matching your leopard print ensemble to your handbag would be a disaster of catastrophic proportions!

Secretcloset.pk is a single online platform showcasing exclusive designers, collections, trends, news and events, and more. The portal provides a one stop guide to all your fashion informational needs in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2012.

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