Playfully expressed observation or cynical marketing? It's probably both.
The hashtag #leopardisaneutral, alluding to the idea that Leopard print transcends fashion cycles, has been used over 35k times on instagram.
Right now there's no doubt that Leopard is firmly in fashion. We're seeing it on runways and the red carpet, and it's a staple of the ‘mob wife’ aesthetic that's all over tiktok.
With a quick bit of research, the idea that Leopard print has been consistently in style is historically reasonably accurate. Even in the days when Leopard print elicited the image of Kat Mitchell from Eastenders, Kate Moss was wearing it, too.
But just because Kate Moss (a literal supermodel) does something, does that mean the layman does?
Probably not.
It feels almost certain that a lot of Leopard print is going to be bought in the coming months by people who don't actually see it as neutral. And soon enough, the stuff will be forgotten about at the back of a wardrobe.
What the planet needs is for us to make and consume less stuff.
If we're buying fewer clothes, we need to only buy things we think we'll be happy wearing for years. We need to look for longevity in both quality and style. That means avoiding micro trends like the plague.
Although Leopard, or any print/material/cut for that matter, can definitely be a neutral for some people (as Kate Moss proves), we should really question whether each of the things we buy will endure for us.