Tiger Stripes Are Destined to Be Fashion's Favorite Animal Print in 2026

Unlike the always-trendy leopard print, tiger is more unexpected.

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a collage of the 2026's tiger print trend featuring tiger print clothing on models and in runway shows
(Image credit: Launchmetrics/Getty Images)

I’ve been thinking about this one photo of Chloë Sevigny a lot lately. The actress is at the premiere of Trees Lounge, a 1996 dark-humor indie film directed by and starring Steve Buscemi (she plays a precocious teen with a pixie cut), wearing a sparkly black dress and electric orange tiger-striped tights.

I first saw it on Tumblr fifteen years ago (shocker, I know). Like the great hook of a pop song imprints on your brain, the outfit stuck with me. Lately, it's come back up in my fashion consciousness because I know, deep in my fashion editor bones, that tiger prints are going to be a major trend in 2026. Cue Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger”.

Chloe Sevigny at the Sony Village 7 Theater in New York City, New York wearing orange tiger print tights, a black sparkly dress, and black open-toed heels (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

She could've picked the safe bet of a black tight, or even a pale pink or cherry red, to wear with her LBD at her second-ever movie premiere. Instead, Sevigny did what she always does—she chose irreverence and individuality over what’s popular or expected.

Ultimately, that’s the It-girl secret sauce: When everyone goes in one direction, whether it be quiet luxury or “corporate-core” or full glam, you go the other way. That’s how you arrive at cool.

Collectively, as consumers, we're peeling away from styles instilled with sameness. That itch is why 2025 was the year of the leopard. We saw spots on Alaïa and Saint Laurent’s runways, on the cobblestone streets of Paris, in the concrete jungle of New York, and sprinkled all over style Substacks and Marie Claire’s celebrity style coverage. After twelve months of leopard-print coats, Adidas sneakers, and handbags, the always-trending pattern now feels a little expected—still fabulous, of course, but less impactful than when it’s not oversaturated. It has gone from a statement roar to more of an everyday meow, opening the door for exotic tiger stripes to fill its place.

Model Shalom Harlow wearing a sheer tiger-striped chiffon tunic over a black bikini, both by Dolce and Gabbana, standing in a doorway with her back against a wall

Model Shalom Harlow for Vogue 1996.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Beyond being a Sevingy style disciple, I’ve been tracking the tiger print trend across the fashion landscape for several seasons now. Matthieu Blazy showed a shimmering, beaded tiger-striped dress in Chanel’s Métiers d'art 2026 show. In recent collections, Chloé and Jacquemus featured faux-fur jackets that look like the cat’s real coat. Marine Serre's Fall 2025 runway even had vibrant orange tiger-printed hosiery. Was the French fashion designer paying homage to Sevigny? Considering the fashion commentariat calls those tiger tights a "Holy Grail fashion item" for "many people with taste," it's not out of the question.

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a model walking in Chanel Pre-Fall 2026 show wearing a tiger print beaded dress
Chanel Pre-Fall 2026(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Tiger print also calls to mind Alessandro Michele's more-is-more Gucci era. The garish loud luxury look the former Gucci creative director is known for—which doubled the Italian house’s revenue from 2015 to 2022—also happens to be the guiding theme behind 2026’s fashion trends.

A model at Gucci Pre-Fall 2018 wearing a tan and black tiger print coat and skirt, white and pink blouse, red turban, black and white socks, with two dogs

Gucci Pre-Fall 2018

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

I recently ordered my own tiger-striped tights (in gray, as the vibrant yellow-orange pair sadly sold out), and plan to use Sevigny's '96 look as a style beacon for the next 12 months.

Model Gunilla Lindblad stands on the island of Fiji. She is wearing a Ban-Lon tiger print hooded robe by Scott Barrie for Barrie Sport, in Antron nylon; print designed by Gilbert Frank. Styled with a bag by Moroccan Fashion & Arts, Battani Boutique tall red sandals, and gold cuffs from Thomas Robbins for Tortolani-Crislu. *** Local Caption *** Gunilla Lindblad;

Model Gunilla Lindblad for Vogue 1971.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Emma Childs
Emma Childs
Fashion Features Editor

Emma Childs is the fashion features editor at Marie Claire, where she explores the intersection of style, culture, and human interest storytelling. She covers zeitgeist-y style moments—like TikTok's "Olsen Tuck" and Substack's "Shirt Sandwiches"—and has written hundreds of runway-researched trend reports. Above all, Emma enjoys connecting with real people about style, from designers, athlete stylists, politicians, and C-suite executives.

Emma previously wrote for The Zoe Report, Editorialist, Elite Daily, and Bustle, and she studied Fashion Studies and New Media at Fordham University Lincoln Center. When Emma isn't writing about niche fashion discourse on the internet, you'll find her shopping designer vintage, doing hot yoga, and befriending bodega cats.