豹紋裝大家庭擴張 現身紐約時裝週

It started with Natalie Massenet. The Net-a-Porter founder and British Fashion Council chairman was spotted pairing a leopard print Marc Jacobs skirt with a leopard print Valentino Rockstud clutch at New York Fashion Week; the following week in London Kate Moss was seen front row at Topshop’s show in a pair of black leopard print Hysteric Glamour jeans, then, at Paris Fashion Week, stylist Giovanna Battaglia turned up in a vintage early 1990s leopard print Ala?a dress at the designer’s retrospective opening at the Palais Galliera.

一切皆肇事于娜塔莉?馬斯內(Natalie Massenet)，這位Net-a-Porter網店創始人兼英國時裝協會主席身穿馬克?雅可布(Marc Jacobs)豹紋襯衣，手拎華倫天奴(Valentino) Rockstud豹紋手提包現身紐約時裝週(New York Fashion Week)；接下來的一週，在倫敦，凱特?莫斯(Kate Moss)身穿日本Hysteric Glamour潮牌牛仔褲就坐於Topshop時裝發佈會前排；而後的巴黎時裝週(Paris Fashion Week)，設計師喬瓦娜?巴塔吉利亞(Giovanna Battaglia)身穿上世紀90年代初的老款阿亞拉(Ala?a)裙裝現身在加列拉宮(Palais Galliera)舉行的個人作品回顧展開幕式。

By the time Andrea Mitchell, NBC News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent, wore a black leopard print trench while delivering her nightly report on the Syrian crisis the trend was official: animal spots are big news.

到全球廣播公司新聞臺(NBC News)首席外交事務記者安德莉亞?米切爾(Andrea Mitchell)身穿黑色豹紋風衣、在晚間新聞播報敘利亞危機時，整個時尚潮流算是塵埃落定：動物斑紋裝登上了頭條新聞。

“With the amount of prints women are now dressing in, leopard really is the ‘new black’,” says stylist Isabel Dupré, whose equivalent to the little black dress is an Isabel Marant leopard print number she considers her fail-safe go-to. “There is something that reads expensive and ‘fashion’ in the print when it is worn right,” she adds. “Most of the time it’s as timeless as wearing black.”

“隨着女士穿着動物斑紋裝漸趨增多，豹紋成爲名符其實的流行趨勢，”設計師伊莎貝爾?杜普雷(Isabel Dupré)說，她的“小黑禮服”(Little black dress)是伊莎貝爾?瑪蘭(Isabel Marant)豹紋裝，她認爲它能適用於各種場合。“豹紋裝只要穿着得體，就會透出奢侈與‘時尚’氣息，”她補充道。“多數情況下，穿黑色豹紋裝從不落伍。”

“Leopard print really is the new classic,” agrees Colleen Sherin, senior fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue. “Women today should look at leopard as a great investment piece and not something to shy away from because it’s too bold or too old or too young.” Helen David, head of womenswear at Harrods, says that because designers have offered leopard print in paler tones for autumn, it has become a more versatile day-to-evening option. “This season leopard print has firmly established itself,” says David, who bought everything from Roland Mouret’s multicoloured leopard eveningwear to a 3.1 Phillip Lim leather biker jacket with leopard print sleeves for the department store.

“豹紋表現的是真正的新古典風格，”薩克斯第五大道(Saks Fifth Avenue)高級時尚總監珂麗恩?謝林(Colleen Sherin)對此表示贊同。“如今的女士應把豹紋裝視作奇貨可居之物，不能因它太過醒目、老氣橫秋或是朝氣蓬勃而有意規避它。”哈羅德百貨(Harrods)女裝部總管海倫?大衛(Helen David)說。由於設計師在今秋時裝季推出淡色調豹紋服裝，它已成爲左右逢源的服飾，能滿足工作與社交的各種需求。“這個秋冬季，豹紋裝已經牢牢地在時尚界站穩陣腳，”大衛說，她本人也購買了各種豹紋裝，從羅蘭?穆雷(Roland Mouret)的多色豹紋晚裝到菲利普?林3.1(Phillip Lim 3.1)爲百貨公司設計的豹紋袖款摩托夾克，品類繁多。

She is not the only one. Walk into a Burberry shop anywhere in the world and you will be faced by a plethora of animal spots; leopard print sleeves on a gabardine trench, a pair of metal bow-front patterned pumps, leopard mink trim on a tan drawstring leather bag, a below-the-knee calfskin printed pencil skirt, matching gloves or even an outsized leopard print umbrella.

類似者大有人在。走進全球任何一家博柏利(Burberry)門店，看到的是形形色色的動物斑紋裝——帶豹紋袖的華達呢風衣、弓背形金屬圖案的宮廷鞋（腳面露出較多，沒有綁定固定部分，但腳踝部可有繫帶）、豹貂皮飾邊的棕褐色拉帶皮包、中長款小牛皮紋緊身窄裙，它們用手套甚至特大號豹紋雨傘搭配，相得益彰。

There is no doubt then, that the preferred print of screen sirens Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor – not to mention 73-year-old Raquel Welch, who wore a leopard print dress at a pre-Emmy awards party last month – is making a roaring comeback. And the responses of designers and retailers suggest that it’s here to stay.

毫無疑問，昔日影視界時尚女王索菲婭?羅蘭(Sophia Loren)與伊麗莎白?泰勒(Elizabeth Taylor)鍾愛的豹紋裝正強勢迴歸——更甭提73歲的拉奎爾?韋爾奇(Raquel Welch)了，她身穿豹紋裙出席了上月的艾美獎預熱晚會(pre-Emmy awards party)。設計師與零售商反響強烈，表明豹紋裝前景一片看好。

Eva Chen, Lucky magazine editor-in-chief, calls it the “Jenna Lyons effect”, crediting the J Crew president and creative director with “informing women on how to mix and match sailor stripes, animal prints and out-there florals as you would a black or grey T-shirt”.

《Lucky》時尚雜誌華裔主編陳怡樺(Eva Chen)稱之爲“詹娜?萊昂斯效應”，她把這歸功於時尚品牌J Crew總裁兼創意總監詹娜?萊昂斯(Jenna Lyons)，對方“向女士灌輸如何把水手條紋、動物斑紋以及異乎尋常的花紋等混搭至黑色或灰色T恤衫上”。

“It’s a print that real women, not the red carpet divas, have made their own little by little,” says Stefano Gabbana, who recalls that leopard print dresses were considered daring – scandalous, even – when he co-founded Dolce & Gabbana in 1985. “For us, leopard print is universal, irrespective of age or profession,” adds his design partner Domenico Dolce.

“豹紋裝是‘真女人’（而非歌劇女主角）一點一滴打拼出來的天地，”斯特凡諾?加巴納(Stefano Gabbana)說，他回憶自己1985年與多梅尼科?多爾切(Domenico Dolce)合創杜嘉班納(Dolce & Gabbana)品牌時，穿豹紋裝被視爲驚世駭俗之舉——甚至可以說有傷風化。“我們覺得豹紋裝適合各個年齡段、各種職業，”加巴納的設計夥伴多爾切補充道。

Fellow Italian designer Roberto Cavalli has long had a love for these patterns. “Nature created the animal print and I just put my own twist on it,” he says. “What I appreciate most about leopard is its strong graphic identity that also lends itself to interpretation. As long as you wear it with confidence and ease, leopard will always be empowering.”

他倆的意大利同行羅伯特?卡沃利(Roberto Cavalli)長久以來一直很喜歡這些豹紋圖樣。“大自然的造化締造了這些動物斑紋，本人只是稍作改動而已，”他說。“我最欣賞豹紋，因爲它能很好地通過圖樣體現穿着者的身份，還能起到一定的詮釋作用。只要自信而輕鬆地穿着豹紋裝，它永遠顯得那麼英姿颯爽。”

Empowering it may be, but it is best to tread carefully while wearing the print in a business setting. “The more black you pair it with, the more that it will help mute the print but still allow it to flash,” says Alexandra Lebenthal, president and chief executive of municipal bond dealer Lebenthal & Company, who still counts her 10-year-old Equipment leopard print jacket as a wardrobe staple.

儘管英姿颯爽，但出席商務活動時，穿着豹紋裝走起路來要儘可能謹小慎微。“你搭配其它服飾的顏色越黑，就越能中和豹紋裝帶來的咄咄逼人氣勢，但仍可讓豹紋裝光彩奪目，”市政債券交易公司Lebenthal & Company總裁兼CEO亞歷桑德羅?萊貝撒爾(Alexandra Lebenthal)說，她仍把穿了10年的Equipment豹紋夾克視作自己的“鎮箱之寶”。

At Saks, Sherin advises the feline-shy to ease into the print with an accessory, such as a loafer or as a treatment on a lapel, in lining or as outerwear. “Wear leopard in a place you want to draw the eyes to,” she says.

在薩克斯第五大道，謝林建議：不喜歡貓科動物斑紋者可用配飾慢慢過渡至豹紋的辦法，如穿雙樂福鞋、對翻領及內襯稍作改動、或是用外套來搭配。“把豹紋放在自己希望引發關注的部位，”她說。

But at Net-a-Porter, the current popularity of the print was almost a missed opportunity. Having decided to take a break from the ubiquitous pattern this season, fashion director Holli Rogers dropped her spot-free mandate after seeing designers who normally shy away from leopard – from Stella McCartney to Mother of Pearl – embrace it with fervour: “Leopard print felt fresh again – something I wasn’t expecting this season at all.” And her advice on how to embrace the look? “My number one tip is to have fun with leopard,” she says. “Fearlessly experiment.”

但目前最流行的豹紋裝差點與Net-a-Porter網店失之交臂。時尚總監霍利?羅傑斯(Holli Rogers)原打定主意與今年秋冬季無處不在的豹紋式樣“決裂”，但在親眼目睹從斯特拉?麥卡特尼(Stella McCartney)到Mother of Pearl、這些昔日規避豹紋圖樣的設計師都對它頂禮膜拜後，也擯棄了不用動物斑紋的設計信條：“這個秋冬季豹紋再次迸發青春氣息——這是我壓根未曾預料到。”那麼她建議該如何對待豹紋裝？“本人最佳建議是高高興興接受豹紋裝，”她說。“勇敢無畏地去嘗試它。”

The spot market for men: Get in touch with your inner caveman

男士豹紋裝：滿足內心狂野

“I guess animal prints have always been a classic – just never in menswear,” says Topman’s creative director Gordon Richardson of the animal print phenomenon that is crossing over into men’s wardrobes. “With the explosion of print and pattern we’ve been witnessing in menswear, an animal print suddenly seems like an easy option for men as a way of updating their wardrobes and looking ahead of the curve.”

“我覺得動物斑紋裝永遠經典——只是原先從不與男裝有關，”Topman創意總監戈登?理查德森(Gordon Richardson)這樣評價動物斑紋裝逐步進入男裝領地這種現象。“隨着動物斑紋及圖樣在男裝系列遍地開花，它們似乎突然之間成爲男士更新換代自己服裝、實現超前時尚的捷徑。”

But leopard print for men is not just about affordable T-shirts and sweatshirts; it is also being touted as an ultra luxurious investment buy, writes David Hayes.

但男士豹紋裝並非只是尋常價位的T恤以及運動衫，它還忽悠成有投資價值的超奢侈消費品，大衛?海耶斯(David Hayes)如是寫道。

“The ‘snow leopard’ patterned coat is in mink that has been needle-punched through cashmere jacquard,” says Kim Jones, creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear, of the label’s star men’s buy (￡5,050). “It’s a brand new technique that we have developed exclusively.”

“雪豹紋外套用羊絨提花針軋的貂皮做就，”路易威登(Louis Vuitton)男裝創意總監金姆?瓊斯(Kim Jones)這樣評價旗下推出的、專門針對男士大腕的款式（售價5050英鎊）。“這項全新技術是我們專爲男士開發。”

“I’ve always liked Stephen Sprouse’s leopard print for Louis Vuitton and wanted to make a masculine version of it,” adds Jones.

“我一直很喜歡史蒂芬?斯普勞斯(Stephen Sprouse)爲路易威登設計的豹紋裝，也想設計類似的男裝系列，”瓊斯補充道。

But will leopard print – however luxurious – sell to men? “Some of our clients are on a constant search for unique, limited edition products to make themselves stand out,” says Jones. “I’m always surprised by some of our top clients’ choices; it challenges us to come up with new developments season after season.”

但男士豹紋裝（不管多奢華）銷路會如何？“有些顧客一直在苦苦找尋獨具風格的限量版服裝，以使自己與衆不同，”瓊斯說。“我總是驚喜於某些高端客戶的喜好；他們不斷激勵我們在每個服裝季推陳出新。”

Another label pioneering leopard for men is British knit trio Sibling, who have made the leopard sweater their own (from ￡260). “All three of us adore animal prints,” says Cozette McCreery, who teamed up with Sid Bryan and Joe Bates to form Sibling in 2008. “Our wardrobes are like an African dictator’s interior decoration scheme: zebra, leopard spots, tiger stripes, snake print.

另一前衛豹紋男裝設計師是英國針織服裝三人組合Sibling，他們推出了自己的豹紋運動衫（售價260英鎊起）。“我們三人都酷愛動物斑紋，”柯賽特?麥克裏瑞(Cozette McCreery)說，她2008年與希德?布賴恩(Sid Bryan)以及喬?貝茲(Joe Bates)共同創建Sibling品牌。“我們的衣櫃酷似非洲獨裁者的室內裝飾圖案大薈萃：斑馬紋、豹紋、獅紋以及蛇紋。

“Our very first collection incorporated a leopard pattern on a cashmere base and was a firm favourite with everyone from skater guys to city boys,” adds McCreery. Why leopard? “Because it was always our intention to steal from womenswear. Now it’s what store buyers and consumers expect, and, because it feels timeless to us, we are happy to oblige.”

“我們設計的第一個系列就把豹紋融入到羊絨製品中，從溜冰小夥到都市男孩，他們對我們的產品愛不釋手，欲罷不能，” 麥克裏瑞補充說。爲何選擇豹紋裝？“因爲我們一直有從女裝嫁接設計風格的願望。如今它是顧客與消費者期盼的產品，因爲它永遠不落伍，我們樂得順水推舟。”

Have animal prints really become the new neutral for men? Some style insiders are having none of it. “No. It’s a trend, not a classic,” says Mr Porter’s Jeremy Langmead emphatically.

動物斑紋裝是否真成了男士新的中性服裝代表？某些時尚業內人士全然不這麼認爲。“不，它只是股流行風，而非時尚經典，”在線零售商Mr Porter主編傑里米?蘭米德(Jeremy Langmead)強調說。

“For autumn we have bought animal prints spread broadly across accessories and clothing,” says Langmead. “From leopard sweaters by Raf Simons (￡610) and shirts by Acne (￡200) to Chelsea boots (￡650) by Burberry Prorsum and scarves (￡390) from Saint Laurent. But we also have a great pair of grey suede leopard print slippers by Jimmy Choo (￡395) which could easily be worn with a dinner suit and are incredibly elegant.”

“對於今年的秋冬季，我們採購了廣泛運用動物斑紋的各種配飾及服裝，”蘭米德說。“從拉夫?西蒙斯(Raf Simons)的豹紋毛衣（售價610英鎊）、艾克妮(Acne)的豹紋襯衣（售價210英鎊）、博柏利?珀鬆(Burberry Prorsum)設計的短靴（Chelsea boots，售價650英鎊）到聖?羅蘭(Saint Laurent)的絲巾（售價390英鎊），應有盡有。但我們也採購了Jimmy Choo灰色山羊皮豹紋拖鞋（售價395英鎊），它設計精巧，很容易與晚宴小禮服搭配穿，顯得特別溫文爾雅。”

“It certainly heralds a new mood for print and texture in menswear. It will be interesting to see how this will evolve,” adds Langmead. “Who knew that men would willingly embrace florals a few years ago, let alone leopard?”

“這明確昭示了男裝花樣與質地出現了新的時尚趨勢。能親眼目睹它如何演變發展很有意義，”蘭米德補充道。“幾年前，誰都沒預見到男士會心甘情願地喜歡上花式服裝？更甭提豹紋裝了！”