Into the wild: The animal prints stalking the catwalks

Lascivious leopard print at Just Cavalli is hardly breaking news – the Milan shows can normally be relied upon to supply clothes that are molto sexy, super glamourissimi and perfect for cavorting on a yacht moored off the Riviera in.

But when ultra-chic labels like Lanvin and Louis Vuitton – not to mention avant garde renegades Miuccia Prada and Junya Watanabe – get in on the action, you know a trend’s set to really roar.

From skirts and dresses, to bags and even blazers, animal prints roamed the collections and stalked down the spring / summer catwalks, and zingy leopard spots and zebra stripes were a favourite with designers. But all you Bet Lynch afficionados dusting off your viscose blouses and cigarette holders should hold fire, and listen up. This season’s animal prints are re-contextualised and re-imagined: think acidic brights, mixing girlish pinks and purples with yellows and greens, as shown by King of the Swingers Cavalli, or brash and bold on luxurious, soft cashmere twinsets at Christopher Kane. These weren’t for playing bingo in.

But this trend isn’t trashy – don’t go too Euro-bling with your prints, and keep them up-to-date by mixing them with different textures and fabrics. Watanabe’s collection drew on a vision of pastoral Africa, where models sashayed down the catwalk in towering floral headdresses, and leopard print was fused with traditional dyed cottons and stonewash denim. The aim is not to look too done, so keep pieces relaxed and comfortable – a slouchy T-shirt or cotton dress is striking, but not overwhelming.

Leopard print skirts at Peter Jensen were inspired by unlikely muse Jodie Foster, proving also that animal prints need not bring out your inner wildcat – they can be prim and lady-like too. Try bright skirts, like Lanvin’s, with a plain T-shirt or pick sharper, more formal pieces - Topshop’s sleeveless blazer, which features swirled zebra and a bit of leopard on the lapels, would go well with jeans for all you casual cats.

Finally, use animal prints on accessories to add some glamour to everyday outfits – Prada’s snakeprint bag is divinely dangerous and sure to cause a stampede at the watering hole; behold a feat of nature, and watch as predator becomes prey, when everyone else tries to get their hands on it. And animal print flats, which have been around for a while now, can look both rock chick and Sloane (a rare and endangered species these days), while Charlotte Olympia’s wild printed heels encapsulate all that is kitsch and cool about this trend. And Bet Lynch probably wouldn’t mind them either – just another of fashion’s great ironies, eh, chuck?