Historically in fashion the inclusion of animals – whether it be as a motif or the real thing – has always made headlines. This week Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette became worldwide news when the Chanel designer spoke to WWD about his beloved feline
Historically in fashion the inclusion of animals – whether it be as a motif or the real thing – has always made headlines. This week Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette became worldwide news when the Chanel designer spoke to WWD about his beloved feline (who has two maids to look after her, an iPad and eats breakfast and dinner at the dining table), and on AnOther Loves A Magazine Curated By and A Blog Curated By editor-in-chief Dan Thawley’s Jil Sander whale jumper scored most loved of the week.
Featured in Jil Sander’s menswear A/W12 catwalk collection this knitted whale jumper came juxtaposed with sharp tailoring and severely pomaded hair. Offering the only hint of colour in the entirely black collection – black leather, black nylon and black vinyl – the infantile drawings of the whale along with dinosaurs and stereos which appeared as motifs on jumpers, jackets and coats, further exampled Raf Simons’ repeatedly unexpected take on menswear and exploration of the male psyche, in what would be his last offering at the helm.
Elsewhere in fashion the use of animals has been hugely popular. Take the lobster, which has been employed by Elsa Schiaparelli in her iconic 1937 Dali-painted lobster dress (recently reinterpreted by Miuccia Prada for Vogue editorix Anna Wintour’s custom-made Met Gala dress) and by Philip Treacy for one of his hat designs and necklaces worn by Isabella Blow – arguably among the designers’ best creations.
Christopher Kane’s S/S09 collection catapulted the emerging London fashion week designer into the limelight. Inspired by Planet of the Apes, The Flinstones, One Million Years B.C and the toy dinosaurs he used to play with as a child, Kane brought out bright animal spot cashmeres alongside giant gorilla and dinosaur prints stitched into cotton dresses. For A/W11 Riccardo Tisci played a game of cat vs dog in his women’s and menswear collections. Introducing the black panther for womenswear, the large feline appeared in the form of prints, sitting atop glasses arms, and in black and aubergine wool ear hats. For menswear Tisci played with the motif of a fierce barking Rottweiler; printing it across jumpers, shirts, t-shirts, jackets and shorts in a collection that blended streetwear with luxury. Taking things one step further, in past seasons British label Mulberry has become renowned for bringing canines (which differ in breed for each collection) down its catwalk – as equally clad in designer creations as their human counterparts.
Also particularly fond of animals here at AnOther – our last issue strikingly featured Rachel Weisz holding Sheena the Alpine Goat on the cover and last year we launched the online column The Pets – we speak to Thawley about animals on the catwalk and if he could be one what it would be...
What made you choose to Love this Jil Sander Men’s Whale Logo Jumper on AnOther Loves?
Raf Simons' all-black swan song for Jil Sander menswear held several pointed contrasts pertaining to male archetypes and their wardrobes. I thought the conceit of this sober black sweater (from the front) with a playful, childish whale motif on the back in a bold, unrealistic orange was a relevant example.
If you owned it what would you wear it with?
Perhaps my Comme des Garçons woollen schoolboy shorts, or even Raf's S/S11 wide white trousers for a bit of drama.
Are you a fan of Jil Sander?
I wouldn't say that I'm a "fan", but rather that I appreciate the signature austerity and craftsmanship of the label.
What are your thoughts on Raf Simons' departure from the brand and the return of Jil Sander?
As I touched on before, I liked the way that Raf Simons tweaked and upturned the house codes with his own humanity, rebellion and a wider artistic sensibility. I believe that Jil's return could plot a rather more classical path for the brand.
Are you a fan of animal prints and motifs in clothing?
Not particularly, and I feel that after Riccardo Tisci and Nicolas Ghesquiere did it that it became a sort of free-for-all! However Raf's whales and dinosaurs made me smile. I like the naivety of them.
And what are your thoughts about pets on the catwalk like at Mulberry?
I remember the stir it caused when Ksubi let rats loose on the catwalk in 2001. If you are going to do flora and fauna, make it interesting! Zac Posen's poodles – no thanks...
What is your favourite animal and why?
I like wolves for their physical beauty and the duality of the lone wolf and the pack mentality.
Do you own any pets at the moment or have you ever had any?
I'm currently pet-free in Paris but have a cat named Meeka at home in Sydney.
If you could be any animal what would it be and why?
A hawk. I wouldn't mind flying.
Text by Lucia Davies
