I've personally been on the hunt for a cowhide bag—a black and white one to match my current wardrobe or a brown and white one to encourage myself to branch out. This, and something as specific as a cowhide bag seemingly becoming a trend, is a testament to how widespread the cow-print trend has become in general.
But what is it about animal prints that have everyone adding what formally would've been considered statement pieces to their wardrobes lately? Generally speaking, it feels as though we are collectively a little bored. The 24/7 news cycle is terrifying and exhausting and people want their outfits to be fun even if we aren't having any. In all seriousness and regardless of the global political climate, fashion should always be fun, and on the recent runways, that's exactly what a handful of designers have done for the past few seasons.
Bottega Veneta Fall Winter 2024-2025
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Cowhide and cow print made their marks in 2024, through runways, street-style, and home decor alike. Bottega Veneta, for example, presented a patchwork cowhide coat on their Fall/Winter 2024-2025 collection in Milan. And, more recently, Architectural Digest named cowhide in a 2025 trend report. This isn't cowhide's origin story, though. Native Americans turned to cowhide for their warmth and durability. This was also an easy way for them to feel connected to nature. Although not originating as a fashion choice, cowhide was appropriated and redefined as a luxurious sought-after material. As times changed, so did cowhide's role in fashion and decor: a practicality during World War II, a form of expression as bold fashion choices were encouraged in the 1960s, a bohemian element as a natural look took over in the 1970s, etc. The trend is constantly redefining itself and what it represents, and today, partially solidified by Solange Knowles walking into the Calvin Klein show during NYFW in a pair of cowhide slippers, it is still ever present.
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At Brandon Maxwell's Spring/Summer 2026 show during New York Fashion Week, models walked down the runway in cowhide jackets and a cow print dress, serving of how multi-faceted the trend is and, perhaps, a preview of interpretations to come.
Brandon Maxwell Spring/Summer 2026
Monica Feudi / Brandon Maxwell
Brandon Maxwell Spring/Summer 2026
Monica Feudi / Brandon Maxwell
