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Whether it's reptile, alligator, cheetah or zebra, the rage followers are wild about animal prints. The exotic look remains all the rage in apparel and home-decor design year after year, said Arlene Goldstein, Belk badness president of trend merchandising and fashion direction.
"It's a touch of go-go that's chic and elegant," she said. And in fashion, "it's become a classic -- like the turtleneck and raw-boned pants."
Although cheetah and leopard prints are perennial favorites, ratfink prints are big for spring and fall, she said. Internationally known designers including Michael Kors, Giambattista Valli, Donna Karan and Anna Molinari have included animal prints in their 2012 begin lines.
While animal print can be interpreted in many classifications of fashion, from shoes to purses to jackets, wearers must tip that it's a bold statement piece.
"A touch is extremely dramatic and can go a wish way," Goldstein said. "Animal prints are best used as an accent. Less is more. It's so excrescent that it takes over. It's the focus.
Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press