Frome left: Isabel Marant, Manish Arora, Diane von Furstenberg, Blumarine

What?
A cat may have only nine lives, but fashion’s love affair with the feline continues to go through an apparently limitless number of reincarnations. Leopards, tigers and cheetahs have graciously lent their spots and stripes to one of the most popular trends of all time, from the pin-up glory days of leotard-clad 1950s bombshells Bettie Page and Ava Gardner to all things vamp and camp in the 1980s (remember Rod Stewart’s hot pants?). This season, the cat is out of the bag again, putting its best face forward with entire whiskered visages plastered on dresses, T-shirts and sweaters.

Where?
Wherever there was a runway to stalk. Cheetah spots were splashed across oodles of layers at Diane von Furstenberg (wrap dresses, scarves, leggings, jumpers and more); ocelot-printed cowhide covered puff-ball skirts and capes at D&G; there were animal prints on paper-thin cashmere sweaters, swing jackets and a one-shouldered chiffon evening gown at Oscar de la Renta.

But it was a leopard, on the “Leora” tunic T-shirt at Stella McCartney, that quickly became one of the season’s celebrity must-haves (Megan Fox was first), followed quickly by assorted animal-stamped T-shirts (from lions and tigers to giraffes and gazelles), courtesy of Lauren Moshi.

A sculpted, ice blue beaded tiger countenance adorned the midsection of a strapless jutting hip gown at Manish Arora; a sequined tigress, on one leg of a pair of lightwash boyfriend jeans, roared down the runway at Ashish; and painted tiger faces peeked up from the hemlines of long iridescent pencil skirts and body-con shifts at Miu Miu. Well, it’s not called the catwalk for nothing.

Why?
Always half a year out of sync with the rest of the world, designers looked in their crystal balls before the autumn and saw only a future shrouded in economic uncertainty. With commercial safety the default position, this trend is one that is always retail-friendly. The extension of the feline form to high street-ready graphic T-shirts simply picks up on last season’s 1980s streetwear zeitgeist, and injects an element of laid-back casual cool into an otherwise dressed up and flashy look.

Should you invest?
An update on a perennial trend is always going to be a safe bet. If you haven’t already got a few prize pieces stashed away, get in on the action and invest in an iconic item, such as a Dolce & Gabbana’s classic trench (£3,000) or versatile separates (pencil skirts, jackets) from Blumarine. If your wardrobe already has a touch of the wild side, however, for less than £200, there’s no reason not to head to Stella McCartney to pick up one of those Leora T-shirts or jumper dresses. The high street has also been quick to pounce – try Topshop or Urban Outfitters for a plethora of animalistic offerings.