As far as feng shui nuts are concerned, The Year of the Tiger officially kicks off on Feb. 14 and comes only once every 12 years. Wild creatures, however, receive kudos from the style world on a more regular basis.
As early as September 2008, the fashion team at Net-A-Porter already spotted all over animal prints as one of the key trends for 2009. Summing up the hottest looks from London Fashion Week, they said “Black-and-white leopard prints claw their way back into season. This time it’s an overkill all-over-body look, with animal print dresses, figure-hugging jumpsuits and cardigans.”
True enough, jungle fever has steadily caught on since, with post-apocalyptic spots and stripes peeking from the slickest fashion editorials and the most stylish homes. And it’s not just for the ladies; the Autumn/Winter 2009 issue of Another Man magazine showcased a Gucci leopard-print cashmere sweater and a Comme des Garçons Homme Plus herringbone suit with leopard print. Young American interior designer Miles Redd has likewise built a career out of mixing strong colors like red with zebra- and leopard-print décor, which he treats like neutrals.
Animal-inspired clothing may be trendy again these days, but big cats — especially tigers — have animated pop culture way longer than that. (To quote Swedish band Miike Snow: “I change shapes just to hide in this place, but I’m still, I’m still an animal.”)
Here’s a quick look at how these creatures have influenced music, literature, film, food, and retail through the ages.
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1794
English poet William Blake publishes Songs of Experience, a collection of poems that includes “The Tyger”. The archaic spelling is usually interpreted as being for effect, or a way to confound high school English literature students even more.
1928
The House at Pooh Corner, A. A. Milne’s second volume of stories about Winnie-the-Pooh, introduces the character Tigger, who goes on to become a prominent figure in Disney’s Winnie the Pooh franchise.
1977
A foil to Lacoste’s signature crocodile, Le Tigre polos — with their leaping tiger logo — first appear. After being out of production through the 1990s, the brand makes a comeback in 2003 and is purchased in 2007 by Kenneth Cole Productions, according to Women’s Wear Daily.
1981
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats makes its West End debut. The British composer claims it is based on TS Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.
May 1982
American rock band Survivor releases Eye of the Tiger, which goes on to top the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for six weeks. The single seals its ironic anthem status after it is used in Sylvester Stallone’s ironically cool film Rocky III.
1998
Johanna Fateman and ex-Bikini Kill member Kathleen Hanna form Le Tigre, an American electroclash band notorious for its slightly feminist sensibilities. They are best known for their tracks Deceptacon, Keep On Livin’ and TKO, which was featured in The OC Season 2 in 2005.
January 2003
Baskin Robbins launches Tigertail, a blend of vanilla and orange ice cream interlaced with swirls of licorice. The somewhat unusual flavor gains fans in North America.
October 2003
A seven-year-old white tiger attacks Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy during a performance in Las Vegas. CNN writes that audience members are shocked to realize the attack was not part of the flamboyant German duo’s magic routine.
September 2004
British illustrator Ceri Amphlett scribbles a tiger on the cover of The Go! Team’s groundbreaking album “Thunder, Lightning, Strike.”
January 2005
Hussein Chalayan’s first collection for his second line, Chalayan, examines global warming and animal extinction. As Dazed & Confused’s Joanna Schlenzka reports, “Cheesecloth cotton skirts are covered with National Geographic-style wild cats and butterflies, alongside strategically placed white spaces where the extinct species ought to be.”
August 2006
English author Gautam Malkani releases his debut novel, Londonstani, a dark portrayal of British-Asian youth culture. The dustjacket for the first edition is designed by Richard Bravery and features a tiger stencil.
January 2008
Marjane Satrapi mesmerizes critics and audience members at Cannes with Persepolis, a black and white animated coming-of-age film set in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The Iran-born French producer uses Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger in a key scene and gains additional cool points for doing so.
October 2008
Los Angeles-based designer Jeremy Scott gets his hands on the Adidas logo and leopard print gets slapped onto tracksuits for his Originals by Originals project. Guys and gals get to “dress up in a leopard hoodie complete with ears, tail and paws,” observes Dazed Digital’s Susie Bubble.
October 2008
Supernatural’s Jensen Ackles rocks out to Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger at the end of “Yellow Fever.” In the episiode, Dean (Ackles) waits for Sam (Jared Padalecki) in the Impala. As Sam approaches, he discovers his brother in the front seat, his eyes closed, air-drumming and lip-synching to the cheesy ’80s classic. The YouTube clip becomes a viral sensation.
October 2009
Chloë Sevigny collaborates with cool-kid boutique Opening Ceremony and whips up a line of animal-print knits. Boys and girls in giraffe-, leopard- and tiger-inspired sweaters and cardigans turn several downtown areas into a pretty people petting zoos.
December 2009
At the height of the Tiger Woods scandal, comedian Billy Dee Williams hawks fictional memorabilia in a skit on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The embattled golfer’s “Mistress Commemorative Plate Collection” becomes part of the year’s pop culture gag reel.
A/W 2009-2010
Cult London fashion store Oki-Ni stocks up on Gaspard Yurkievich’s leopard-print arm warmers, the same ones used in the French designer’s runway show.
January 2010
V Magazine’s Size Issue hits newsstands. An editorial called “Curves Ahead” features plus-size models in sexy outfits, including an animal-print bodysuit by Agent Provocateur.
January/ February 2010
Taking her style cues straight from the animal kingdom, Jinkee Pacquiao graces the cover of Preview’s first issue of the decade. Purrfect.
2012
Warner Brothers turns Thundercats, the ’80s animated series and toy line, into a movie from a script written by Paul Sopocy, a first-time screenwriter. Imdb currently classifies the project as “in production.” ZOMG.