Second skin
This season, it’s natural that you would want to come in hides of sorts, as spots, streaks, stripes, swirls and scales take center stage in a menagerie of animal print finishes. The obsession for luxurious skins date from antiquity, and is one of the patterns that’s least likely to die from seasonal transitions. It’s hold on fashion has been steadfast and consistent, with the only change coming from the new technologies -- digital prints that mimic intricate patterns, overlaid in a myriad of fabric choices.
Fashion brands pick their sigils this Fall/Winter in a barrage of new covetables. Chloé chose reptile skin in ovoid sleet structural coats as well as high shine A-line skirts in jewel toned emeralds. Dolce and Gabbana went tomboy feral with Tiger print boxy suit jackets and gangster-inspired trenchcoats. If you’re the type that leans towards maximalism, Roberto Cavalli’s offering is a call from the wild, what with recurring gossamer prints piled on top of lacquered and painted feathers, embroidered leather and patchwork fur (a look that I would definitely rock given a good fashion event). On the other end of the trend spectrum, minimalism was evident in the restrained pieces at Rochas -- given a bit of indulgence by a smattering of Cheetah spots.
As if that’s not proof enough that the untamed has got us all tamed, I went to watch the Care Divas play sponsored by PETA and not only did I see one, two or three, but nine people clad in animal print, including me! I though I was being witty when I said the reason behind the deluge of skins was because the play was by PETA, but then as it turns out, it was not the sort for the ethical treatment of animals but the kind that is the Philippine Educational Theater Association. Honest mistake -- they both have the acronyms!
Interesting to see though, that even if most went in similar graphic patterns, each had their own individual take on it. Laureen Uy paired her slouchy leopard pants with a lighter snake print boxy Alexander Wang bag. Andre Chang went with a leopard coat and shoe coordinate. While the other girls mixed in masculinity with a spotted boyfriend blazer, Rach Sayed opted for a tiger print asymmetric dress belted high on the waist, and Pauline Juan had just a touch of the wild on her Nicholas Kirkwoods.
Daily thoughts on my blog: stylesamurai.blogspot.com.
