From Tory Burch to Toteme—Every ITK Brand Is Stocking This One Particular Winter Trend
Immediately following New York Fashion Week back in February, I made a fall/winter 2024 wish list full of pieces I’d just spotted on the runway. On it were textured midi skirts, funnel-neck outerwear, almond-toe flats, and more. Though I wanted each and every piece at the time (and have either checked most of them off or bought something similar albeit budget-friendlier), one particular trend was and still is my favorite by a mile. Spotted at both Michael Kors Collection and Tory Burch, pony- or calf-hair pieces gave off an air of elegance and luxury that nothing else from the runways could compete with.
At Michael Kors, legendary supermodel Amber Valletta modeled a leopard-print calf-hair midi coat styled with simple black pumps and a timeless clasp-closure lady bag. Her signature blonde hair was pulled back in a tight chignon; the only makeup she appeared to have on was bright red lipstick. I, like many others who I spoke with afterward, was enamored. That same week, Tory Burch sent two looks down the runway that featured the sleek, textured material. One featured a calf-hair blazer and matching pencil skirt and the other showcased a cropped, moto-style jacket made of the fabric styled with khaki trousers. Again, I was sick with want.
A few months after fashion month’s final finale walk, two new It bags began sparking conversation around the celebrity and influencer set. Saint Laurent’s Le 6 à 7 hobo bag and Bea tote, both crafted out of leopard-print calf hair, were spotted around the world, in Los Angeles on A-listers like Hailey Bieber and Zoë Kravitz, in Paris on Kate Moss and Laura Harrier, and in Monza, Italy, on model and content creator Alexandra Saint Mleux, girlfriend of Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc. Both styles quickly sold out. Though, you can preorder one for delivery at the end of February.
Soon after Saint Laurent’s bag boom, a maxi-length pony-fur coat from By Malene Birger began to take off online. Every editor posted photos in it from the fashion closet, while content creators did what they do best—create content—in theirs on the streets in Copenhagen, Paris, and London. Lauren Santo Domingo added it to her Moda Operandi closet—another surefire sign that an item’s about to go viral and sell out. It nearly has, with sizes dwindling, though it appears online that a limited restock may be on the way later this month (fingers crossed). More sizes are also available in the cropped version, which is a great alternative if you’re not ready to wear leopard-print pony hair from head to toe.
Shop the coat:
With winter approaching, there’s no better time to invest in a warm and extremely chic calf-hair coat, skirt, bag, or pair of shoes, especially now that all the delectable items from the fall/winter 2024 and resort 2025 collections are becoming available. Find every piece worth shopping for, including luxury buys from Alaïa, Toteme, Khaite, and The Row, as well as more budget-friendly purchases by Zara, Massimo Dutti, and Mango, below.
Shop the calf-hair trend for winter:
Source: WhoWhatWear