Call of the Wild : From Jeans to Handbags, the Animal Look Is Roaring Back

Fashion designers are leaving their prints--animal prints, that is--everywhere. This fall, leopard spots and zebra stripes are giving a wild look to chiffon blouses, stretch jeans, vests, handbags, skirts and cat suits.

The beastly prints are clawing their way into everything from casual day wear to elegant evening attire. When designer Arnold Scaasi showed his fall collection in Orange County several months ago, he opened with models clad in sparkling zebra-striped gowns.

Animal patterns come in everything from faux furs and snakeskins that look authentic to obvious fakes in fabrics of all kinds. Aspiring cat women, for instance, can find jeans made of fake leopard fur.

“Animal prints are timeless,” says Mary Rubenstein, co-owner of Mi Place in Fullerton and Laguna Niguel. “They always come back. Boots with animal prints we sold five years ago look just as good today.”

Some of Mi Place’s current animal prints are straight out of “Wild Kingdom,” such as the short skirt of imitation zebra hide by Iceberg ($775) and leopard-spotted stretch jeans by Vertigo ($154).

“The rusty colors are so good for many people,” Rubenstein says. “We do a lot of black for fall, and the golds and yellows blend with black so well.”

Those who like animal prints but fear they’ll look like king or queen of the jungle can opt for tamer designs where the prints are used as an accent. Mi Place has a long-sleeved red stretch cat suit by Ferretti, for example, with fake leopard skin cuffs that are detachable, in case you tire of the trend ($540) and a bright orange Ferretti jacket with leopard collar and cuffs ($497).

For just a touch of animal, try a pair of black leather-and-suede shoe boots with leopard cuffs and rhinestone buttons by El Vaquero ($495) at Mi Place--an ideal match for black leggings.

Animal prints have even started creeping into menswear. Versace has introduced a line of vests, stretch jeans and silk shirts with black leopard spots.

“They’re not all worn together, just a piece here and there so the men don’t look like they got caught in a trend,” says Heidi Kearns, general manager of Bernini Sport in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa.

The new men’s store carries the Versace line, including ties with black leopard or cheetah spots on bright red, cobalt, gold or natural tan backgrounds ($95). Versace’s leopard print sport coat in blue or gold wool is $1,375.

To be sure, only the most adventurous men are venturing into prints inspired by the photographs in National Geographic.

“Men are just starting to get more hip,” says Mark Ambrose, co-owner of Zoom, a men’s and women’s clothing store in Mission Viejo Mall. “We’re going at it small, with animal print shirts and vests.”

To those who love them, animal prints add an exotic element to the wardrobe.

“They have a wonderful, warm, rich look,” Rubenstein says. “They look expensive, even in the faux furs.”

A silk blouse in an animal print can give a suit an entirely different, more exotic look, she says.

“You feel sexy and bold wearing an animal print,” says Betty Floura, fashion director for Laise Adzer in Fashion Island Newport Beach.

Laise Adzer offers some of the more unusual animal-inspired styles: a flowing cocoon jacket of tan suede stamped with baby leopard spots ($685), tie-back ethnic belts with swatches of faux leopard skin ($135-$160) and a flowing wrap of silk chiffon with a blue tie-dyed cobra print ($1,100).

“Before, animal prints were flashier. Now they’re more sophisticated,” says Bill Christiansen, owner of Rakish in Orange.

Rakish’s black twill jacket with its long, lean silhouette is the understated foil to the store’s leopard print skirt or fur jeans.

“We did the look really clean,” Christiansen says.

Unless one wants to look like the subject of a nature documentary, resist the instinct to dress head to toe in animal prints.

Instead, mix those spots and stripes with other solid pieces or wear them as an accent on a handbag, belt or collar of a coat, says Karen Blankenship, manager of Adrienne Vittadini in Costa Mesa.

“You don’t want to look like you’re the leopard,” she says.

Adrienne Vittadini has created scarves, leopard leggings and animal print sweaters for fall that are paired with solid separates such as a long and narrow cocoa-colored skirt.

Accessories are another way to get the look without going overboard.

Animal earrings in all shapes and sizes, scarves, bags with faux leopard and zebra skins and leopard print belts are carried at The Icing in Brea Mall.

“One piece is all you need,” says Sue Logan, co-manager of the Icing. “You don’t want to do everything in animal prints. That would be overkill.”