I recently watched The Apartment (1964) and had to rewind to see again the amazing hat and tote bag belonging to Mr Sheldrake's secretary. Although the film is in black and white I had a serious case of leopard print envy.
In the film Laura (1944) Laura's sugar daddy admirer is first shown sitting in a bath with a leopard print covered sofa in the background.
In Some like it Hot (1959) I too didn't care for Daphne's (Jack Lemmon) legs, but I loved her/his coat with the face fattering faux (I assume) leopard collar.
Winter is coming and I have a coat which I purchased last year a Pop Boutique in Covent Garden, London which gets me looks of admiration, lots of complements and the odd bitchy female remark (Poor dears).
I have tried to research but have not managed to find any explanation for our love of this particular animal print; why not zebra? I can only assume poor leopard were prized hunters skins and rich society ladies wore mink and leopard to show their wealth which caught on with the office secretary etc. Remember the recent Cecil the Lion killing? I am not condoning this or any other killing of animals for fun but have come across real leopard hats in vintage stores and was surely tempted.
