There are some prints that, when they start spiking in popularity, don’t feel like trends at all. Leopard print is a near-neutral at this point. Snakeskin is a favorite, no matter the season. Even zebra print had its time in the sun this summer. Cow print, however, is the one fall trend I didn’t see coming—and it’s the only one I’ve been able to think about now that New York Fashion Week has come to a close.
It all started when I saw the bovine pattern on Brandon Maxwell's Spring 2025 runway on September 9. Until then, it was a look reserved for the decor in my in-laws’ rural Colorado cabin. On the New York runway, it was fashioned into a chic, cropped jacket that was elegantly styled over a sequined plaid pencil skirt. Then, I noticed that the street style set was opting for cowhide-printed shoes and bags with the rest of their early-fall outfits.
