This season, designers are embracing their ducks, pigs, and horses.
By Tessa Nolan
The Pigsty
The pigsty is an interesting place for inspiration, but it’s what designers are seeking lately. First at the Balenciaga show, dirt appeared – large mounds of peat bogs.
Then came the motifs of pigs, ducks, and horses for the fall. At Burberry, for his debut collection, Daniel Lee filled the runway with ducks, covering everything from jackets to dresses. Then there was Stella McCartney, whose latest collection featured Appaloosa-themed jacquards in honor of her first horse, Harmony, while Christopher Kane’s fall collection used AI to create dresses with prints of pigs, chicks, and rats, although his inspiration was somewhat less rural.
Nostalgia
This nostalgic theme can also reflect our desire for simplicity and nature in the modern world, where technology and stress have become an integral part of our lives. Animals, especially farm animals, remind us of our roots and connection to nature.
The catcher says that we are fascinated by animals because we have evolved alongside them. Most people have an evolutionary and innate desire to connect with nature. Fashion is just another way to express what we feel. And right now, it seems like the message is pig, cow, and duck.
Cruelty and Criticism
However, despite all the variety and interesting designs, they can provoke controversy and criticism. Some may consider using animals in fashion as cruel and unethical, especially if it involves using real animals or their parts. More and more people are becoming conscious consumers and choosing ethically clean fashion that does not harm animals or the environment.
Savile Row
Nevertheless, the exhibition on Savile Row will likely showcase only fashionable designs and collections that inspire and captivate visitors. It will be an opportunity to see the latest fashion trends and appreciate the creativity of designers.
The more famous the animal, the stronger it holds in the fashion industry: leopards and zebras, of course, have long been hot commodities. But everyday creatures are also attractive. Daniel James Cole, adjunct professor at the New York Institute of Fashion Technology, explains that the surrealist movement made animals a popular fodder for designers, leading to a wave of clothing that was applied to familiar shapes such as birds, insects, and dogs. Perhaps the most famous are Elsa Schiaparelli’s horses, which adorned brooches and belts in her 1938 Circus collection. You can see inspiration in Gilbert Adrian’s Roan Stallion dress a few years later, where a galloping horse stretches from the neckline to the knees. Perhaps the most famous are Elsa Schiaparelli’s horses, which adorned brooches and belts in her 1938 Circus collection. You can see inspiration in Gilbert Adrian’s Roan Stallion dress a few years later, where a galloping horse stretches from the neckline to the knees. In his other projects, he featured weeping lambs and pecking chickens; Adrian took the farmyard and made it the Hollywood of the Golden Age.
Expression of Individuality
Overall, the use of animal imagery in fashion is an interesting and relevant phenomenon. It reflects our feelings of nostalgia, our desire for simplicity and nature, and can also have a political undertone. However, it also raises questions about ethics and animal rights. Each of us has our own opinion on this matter, and it is important to be conscious consumers and choose fashion that aligns with our values and beliefs. Ultimately, fashion should be an expression of our individuality and style, but not at the expense of animals or the environment.
