Go Wild – Fashion Shoot

In the explicit music video to ‘Partition’, Beyonce tosses her hair, arches her back and rubs herself against the bars of a mock cage. Her gorgeous body is illuminated by leopard print projections directly onto her skin.

It goes without saying that animal prints are re-emerging as a force to be reckoned with this season.

Animal prints are known for being bold and striking. They immediately draw to my mind the kind of powerful, confident woman who’s not going to take any of your shit.

The new Versus Versace collection channels just that. Electric animal prints in both their male and female lines make for striking portraits. Bright blues, pinks and yellows lend themselves to what Versace are calling a ‘rebellious youthful attitude’.

‘Rebellious youthful attitude’ – Dress: Versace, Jacket: Warehouse

‘An edgy look without the price tag’ – Top: Pilot, Jacket: Next, Skirt: Warehouse

‘Not taking any of your shit’ – Suit: Moschino

However, animal prints can also be demure and feminine: as proven by their abundance in Diane von Furstenberg’s 2014 collection, with its emphasis on the monochrome zebra. The smaller the print, the gentler the effect. Strong pieces can be softened even further by layering up with loose knits.

‘Perfect lawn revision attire’ – Skirt: Chicwish, Cardigan: Oasis

Don’t just limit yourself to leopard and zebra prints, images of the animals themselves are fair game. The animal motif’s transition into high street and student fashion has been gradually moving away from ‘animal print’ – animal markings – to repeated prints of the animals themselves. Last year saw Topshop’s incredibly popular elephant dungarees and H&M’s slightly confusing cat-head prints. These kinds of pieces can be cute or quirky and are not to be overlooked.

‘Exams? What exams?’ – Dress: Cambridge Market

Yes, those are tiny zebra heads

Models: Jessica Jackson and Maria Ansell.