The Leopard Print Revival Is Upon Us

Date:

All products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors. However, we may earn affiliate revenue on this article and commission when you buy something.

Between Wales Bonner’s ultra-hot Adidas Sambas and Michael Kors’s entire spring 2024 front row, it was a great year for leopard print. With the Indie Sleaze revival on the horizon, the proliferation of animal print is a major sign of its second coming. But the leopard print craze didn’t start with the party girls of the 2010s. (In fact, it was worn in both iterations of the movie Party Girl, starring Cyd Charisse in 1958 and Parker Posey in 1995.) And the spots have found fans as far flung as Queen Elizabeth, Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, and later on, Kate Moss and the Spice Girls’ Mel B.

Still, leopard print can be a daunting addition to a wardrobe, especially if one is pivoting from the minimalist aesthetic we’ve been seeing the past few seasons. Thankfully, we can look to the stars for some styling tips.

Cyd Charisse in Party Girl (1958)

Courtesy Everett Collection

Parker Posey in Party Girl (1995)

(c)First Look Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

Mel C

Photo: © Virgin Records

2023 saw no shortage of stars rocking leopard print. Some preferred a lighter touch, using a sparing splashh of print to add a kick to their outfits. Kourtney Kardashian, in the purest indie sleaze interpretation of them all, leaned into kitsch, wearing her leopard print shorts with a Madonna T-shirt and trendy moto boots. Her sister, Kendall Jenner, however, opted for a subtler leopard print on her coat collar.

Some chose to use one leopard print piece as an accent, often pairing it with black to amplify the impact. Selma Blair, Maya Hawke, and Rosamund Pike all subscribed to this method this year, adding animal patterned jackets, blouses, and skirts, to their otherwise-all-black outfits.

MEGA

Gotham

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin

Dominik Bindl/Getty Images

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin

For those who may not be ready to plunge into a full leopard look, another approach to styling includes a bold accessory. Both Dua Lipa and Halle Berry showed off their printed bags: Berry toting a duffle bag through the airport, Lipa pairing her shoulder bag with a sculptural knit dress and Kiki boots. 

On the other hand—or, rather, foot—director Janicza Bravo and diver Tom Daley showed off some funky footwear this past year. The Zola director gave a masterclass in power-clashing, attending a Miu Miu event wearing a classic plaid kilt styled with leopard lace up Oxfords. Meanwhile, the Olympian paired his loafers with a sweet pink sweater, matching saddle bag, and gray suit. 

Dave Benett/Getty Images

Mike Marsland

But one of the most classic approaches to leopard print is to simply go big. Irina Shayk committed to the animal pattern this year, wearing it on several occasions. Her favorite item seemed to be the maxi dress, which she styled with sneakers. Winnie Harlow also took to the red carpet in a slinky, full-length leopard print frock with long sleeves and rosettes at the hip. And who could rock this print it better than J.Lo, who went for triple leopard? In May of 2023, Lopez wore a long-sleeved minidress embellished with ostrich feathers over a pair of sequined tights, and finished off the look with leopard stilettos. Now that’s commitment to the bit!

So whether you’re leopard-curious and want to dip your toe in with some light accents, or if you’re ready to pedal to the metal, we predict that 2024 will be a big year for leopard print.

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin

Robert Okine/Getty Images

Shop our favorite leopard print items, below.

Evarae

Rizo leopard-print swimsuit

Alaïa

Rose Marie mini leopard-print clutch

Ganni

Leopard Pring Bucket Hat

Le Monde Béryl

leopard-print pony-hair Mary Jane flats

Dolce & Gabbana

Chenille crop top with jacquard leopard design

Raey

Uniform leopard wide-leg trousers

Dolce & Gabbana

leopard-print coated-canvas trench coat

Norma Kamali

Sleeping Bag leopard-print jacket

Alaïa

leopard-print knee boots

Michael Michael Kors

jacquard leopard dress

Rodarte

leopard-print silk crepe de chine maxi dress

Ferragamo

Siwar leopard calf-hair flats

Dolce & Gabbana

leopard-print swimsuit

Saks Potts

Laura leopard-print jacket

Rixo

Attiya printed slip dress

Valentino Garavani

VLOGO bucket bag

Rixo

Rosella cropped lace-trimmed leopard-print crepe top

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

Travis Kelce ‘very charming’ in ‘Grotesquerie’ role, says star Niecy Nash-Betts

Niecy Nash-Betts had a blast working alongside Travis Kelce...

Inside Janet Jackson’s Kamala Harris PR nightmare: Brother Randy controls her career

Janet Jackson sings about control. But some people in...

Former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown says it’s been ‘hard’ living without late husband Sir Harry Evans

Tina Brown admits it has been “really hard” since...

Donna Kelce gushes over why son Travis is the perfect match for Taylor Swift

Donna Kelce revealed to Page Six why she thinks...