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………………..Animal prints have their highs and lows in popularity in the world of fashion…….but…….they have become ICONIC, and never really go out of style. Whether you use the print as an accessory or a full garment they are always attention getters…..but…….you must be selective in what you buy…….There are many many very cheap and tawdry looking animal prints and sometimes it’s the print itself….or just a matter of the fabric they are printed on….or the STYLE!….I have always been very careful about selecting beautiful, very detailed animal prints….99% of them either came from print lines in Italy or were developed for me exclusively by Italian companies. The one above actually was inspired by a printed Hair Calf large shoulder bag I did at AK. I sent a skin to ETRO and he created the print. I used this archival print, and had it reproduced in China on two different fabrics. The SAFARI JACKET was a cotton stretch, single breasted front. The button was a beautiful faux Horn as you can see in the photo. It had 4 patch pockets and buttoned flaps. The bottom pockets were side entry. The sleeves had tabs with two buttons for adjustability. It had a wing collar with a back half stand and a self tie belt….The print blouse was in georgette. It had a button front, a stand collar, a fuller sleeve and side slits….Both of these items became reorders……..The solid BRUSHED COTTON jacket above the blouse had mixed reviews. The style and colors were VERY EUROPEAN. The colors were actually deeper than what they look above, but I can never seem to capture the colors correctly. I don’t think many women understood such dark colors for July, but for me these were transition colors, Indian Summer colors, that would work in Sept, Oct. and right through until late spring. They were very deep and rich colors……SIENNA, PURPLE and OLIVE. Instead of a normal set in sleeve….the body seams at mid shoulder was where the sleeve began. It had a half raglan. To give room for the shoulders I added pleats at the top and again at the sleeve cuff. It had inset band pockets. The jacket had a wonderful figure 8 shape. It was definitely a  fashion forward jacket, but maybe too advanced for many QVC customers……..The SUEDE BLAZER was another story all together, and was very popular. It had a front and back yoke and body seams. The pockets were in these seams. The large flaps were faux. It had a three button front and buttons on the sleeves……The unusual stand out detail on this jacket was the double row contrast stitching. I used a heavier thread like the one they use on handbags so it really stood out. I chose some what tonal threads…..a grayed ivory on the brown and a paler moss on the moss…..Using suede was still reasonable in cost……..The pant was in the same cotton as the solid jacket and went with all FOUR jackets in the group…..The last jacket at the upper right…….This was a FIELD JACKET, but done in an unusual fabric. It was a cross between a SATIN and a TAFFETA……..It had the hand, and substantial weight of a smooth satin, and the iridescence of a taffeta. The colors were DEEP MAGENTA and a color we called DEEP FAWN [a darker beige khaki]. It had two top patch pockets with buttoned flaps, but only buttoned flaps on the bottom with inseam pockets. It had body seams for shape so it could be worn with or without the self fabric belt. It had an interesting button placket front that stopped a few inches above the hem. The sleeves had pleats at the bottom that went into a buttoned shirt cuff…….However, it was the FABRIC that made these jackets super special. I still have them and they look as modern and edgy today as they did then.