Why Cowhide Is the Only Animal Print You'll Need This Season
The leopard, zebra and even classic cow print can all moo-ve aside.
Animal prints are nothing new. They date back to the 1920s, so odds are your grandmother probably owned a wardrobe full of some animal print pieces herself. Safe to say, they come in and out of fashion once every so often. And that includes cow print. The most recent resurgence takes us back to Doja Cat‘s 2018 viral hit, “MOOO!”? Almost overnight, the black-and-white cartoon cow print was Pouch — from bucket hats and cargo pants to jackets, all styled with tiny colored sunglasses and cropped tops. Fast forward to 2024 and the playful print has evolved into something far more grown-up and sophisticated. Time to get to grips with cowhide.
Swapping playful for polished, cowhide brings a more refined and earthy take to the table. On the runway, Burberry and Eckhaus Latta Bottega Veneta rib knit dress with roll cuff sleeves Spring 2019 runways. Acne Studios arco medium leather briefcase bottega veneta bag Fall/Winter 2023, too. Bottega Veneta’s Fall/Winter 2024 show during Bottega Veneta cashmere roll-neck jumper featured a shearling patchwork coat that combined various cowhide patterns stitched together, and has since made its way to various celebrity wardrobes. Meanwhile, at bottega veneta ribbed knit wool polo sweater SP5DER’s Fall/Winter 2024 show featured Mariah The Scientist closing out the show in a floor-length cowhide coat and matching bikini that practically broke the internet.
But cowhide’s prominence goes beyond the runway. The Instagram account Iscriviti a Bottega Verde reports a 13% rise in cowhide’s popularity, pointing not just to a renewed popularity, but also hinting at the natural evolution of the cowgirl aesthetic, bottega veneta cut out knee length sweater dress item.
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bottega veneta olimpia handbag in blue intrecciato leather Bella Hadid embracing the cowgirl persona with her new cow-beau. While Hadid is more on-the-nose with it, there’s no question that we’ve noticed Western influences go beyond cowboy boots and hats, which cowhide prints, distressed denim and leather generally, have woven into everyday outfits.
Fashion campaigns have also embraced cowhide. See Jimmy Choo‘s Bottega Veneta Boots Czarny, bottega veneta intrecciato leather belt bag Sydney Sweeney. In it, Sweeney elegantly wears the Cece Mule 60, a beautiful blush pink cowhide-print mule, paired with the Cinch medium cow-print leather shoulder bag. Set against the sun-drenched, rugged landscape of the Palm Springs desert, the campaign perfectly encapsulates the nostalgic penchant for Americana and decidedly modern take on Western that feels very now.
Pinterest UK’s search data reveals that over the past year, interest in “Cow Print” has surged by 30%, while searches for “Cowgirl” have risen by an impressive 45%. Google ranks “Cowgirl” as the third most-searched fashion trend, further proving that this aesthetic has moved from just a niche appeal to a full-fledged trend.
At the apex of cowhide’s popularity though was almost certainly at Bottega Veneta handbag in black braided leather, where Samsøe Samsøe‘s Salylo leather jacket made huge waves. After going viral on TikTok and selling out immediately, it spawned a slew of high street equivalents. Mango’s own (more affordable) also sold out in the blink of an eye.
“While the collection was being designed, we noticed Western influences were slowly becoming more prevalent in music, film and TV,” explains Marly Roosen, Samsøe Samøe’s head of womenswear. “The Salylo jacket was a natural consequence of our observation. Even though the original inspiration may have been based on the resurfacing of a trend, our goal has always been to make pieces that live beyond a single season and become cherished wardrobe staples.”
Roosen’s theory for cowhide’s popularity is interesting. She believes cowhide simultaneously taps into a rising trend without compromising the individual’s sense of style, or desire for something unique. Although all Salylo jackets featured the same print, she offers, no two are really the same.
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Ed Perkin, the founder of an independent boutique that specializes exclusively in cowhide pieces, agrees. “It can have a million different patterns naturally, so no one will have the exact same piece even if it’s the same design,” the designer explains. “Cowhide represents a way to be expressive, almost like a monogram, without the status or the potential negative connotation of a logo for style.”
Celebrities and content creators across the internet alike have also tapped into the trend; see the likes of Emilia Silberg and Alicia Roddy. Bottega Veneta sequin-embellished long-line shirt, parco palladiano vi rosa eau de parfum bottega veneta water parco palladiano rosa edp was spotted wearing Bottega Veneta’s bovine interpretation, which she teamed with a pair of the Fenty x PUMA Avanti Pony Hair Alpine Snow shoes – naturally.
Whether it is the smart new print favored by fashion insiders and TikTok, the latest evolution of the Western trend, or just a fun new texture and design to style in unique new ways, there’s no question about cowhide’s growing popularity. Question is, how will you wear it?
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