THE ROAR OF ANIMAL PRINTS: A Leopard can't change its spots, but a shopper can.

by Ki Hackney

A couple of weeks ago I went to an Octoberfest celebration on the bay in Amagansett, and the chilly evening brought out a parade of new fall fashions that were as crisp as the air. Leading the pack were animal prints, from a trim leopard-patterned coat over a white shirt and black pants to a tiger evening clutch to shoes including sling-backs and high-heeled wedges.

Above, left: A vintage photo of Steven Stolman’s mentor, the late Pauline Trigere, looking as glamorous as she always was, in her leopard coat. Photo from Stolman’s private collection.

Above, right: Steven Stolman’s latest leopard print, a pleated skirt, sizes 0-14, $245 in his stores in Southampton, NY (83 Main Street, 631-283-8602) and Palm Beach (311 Worth Avenue, 561-655-9820).

A short sprint around the UES the other day produced a horde of animals including coats at Prada, a handy little collapsible stool at Nina Griscom (at 70th and Lex) ... and more shoes at Christian Louboutin, French Sole (where all the leopards were lounging in the windows for their afternoon siesta), Stubbs & Wootton, and the new Carrano shop to name a few.

L. to r.: Orange zebra rug (one of many colors and patterns made in Brazil), $549, from ABC Carpet & Home (888 Broadway, 212-473-3000); Wool zebra rug, made in Nepal; Sale $1199-$10,999, from ABC Carpet & Home (888 Broadway, 212-473-3000).

The message is everywhere: that same night the audience at The Last King of Scotland produced even more shoes, handbags and a leopard-printed chiffon blouse. We just had to write about it and decided to use this super-trend to launch our new NYSD Shopping Diary. It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a long time. We’ll pick a new theme each week (once we’ve organized the input and technology this column needs), from pearls to apothecary lamps.

Today, animal prints are not only fashionable, they are ageless. Talbots has a zebra skirt for the littlest angels, as well as a slightly different version for Misses and Women’s sizes. Last night, we spotted a petite, blonde 89-year-old arriving for dinner with friends, in her size 6 skirt with stilettos, a blouse, and triple-strand pearls enhanced with an oversized pin; all wrapped with a delicate, ruffled leopard chiffon muffler.

The one thing that I kept an eye out for was animals for men. There are certainly fewer, but we found some great ones.

Prada has a fitted leopard-patterned coat for guys (pictured right, $5,900, at Prada, 841 Madison Avenue, 212-327-4200; Fifth Avenue, 724 Fifth Avenue, 212-664-0010; Soho, 575 Broadway, 212-334-8888 stores), and, although Ralph Lauren doesn’t have a spotted tie for his gentlemen, he has two, a great zebra and leather wing chair, and we loved the zebra Duke’s Host chair.

Let’s let the pictures tell the tale in this brief round up of some of the best of New York’s wild beasts.

And, as you will see, even my endodontist tops his green cotton scrubs with a black-and-white, calf-printed surgical cap. Yep, the animals are a-roaring!

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