This Disney-inspired style trend ‘makes basic look expensive’, and it’s about to take over

‘Bambi print’ is the new style popping up in stores across Australia just in time for spring, but not everyone is fawning over the Disney deer-inspired trend.

Described as the softer, more feminine sister to leopard, tiger and snake print, this new animal trend is all about soft brown hues overlaid with white spots to emulate the look of a baby deer, also known as a fawn.

It’s the newest iteration of the animal print trend that has dominated our wardrobes for more than a year now, but where did Bambi print even come from?

Personal stylist Tara Pokarier said after several seasons dominated by bold leopard, snake and tiger prints, designers are looking for a more subtle approach to animal print.

“I would frame it as part of a broader shift away from loud maximalism and more towards romantic, woodland-inspired dressing,” she told nine.com.au.

“It makes basic look expensive, it works with everything because of those [neutral] tones, it’s softer, and it just elevates a very simple outfit.”

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Fawn print first hit high fashion runways several years ago, and was endorsed by none other than Anna Wintour when she wore a fawn print trench coat to the Burberry Spring/Summer 2023 runway show in London.

It slowly filtered down from fashion’s elite to celebrities like Katie Holmes, who attended the Printemps New York grand opening party in a fawn Tory Burch ensemble in March last year.

Sofia Richie Grainge then styled a fawn puffer from her own brand, SRG Atelier, over her baby bump in late 2025, offering a more casual twist on the trend.

“A lot of commentators also link the rise of deer print to the popularity of quiet luxury, cottagecore and alpine aesthetics, as well some of the previous trends we’ve seen with suede, brown tones, faux furs, and those natural textures,” Pokarier said.

“Deer print fits perfectly into that mood because it’s softer, it’s more elegant, it’s slightly whimsical, compared with the glamour of leopard print, and it’s a reflection of fashion’s move towards softer, nature-inspired dressing.”

Eventually, deer print trickled from luxury fashion houses to high street brands like Zara, Lioness, Adidas and New Balance, where it became a popular staple in the northern hemisphere over the last few months.

Now it’s hitting Australian retailers right in time for spring – which, coincidentally, also happens to be when fawns are typically born – but Pokarier warns shoppers not to style it in the same bold way they would leopard or tiger print.

“Deer print feels more delicate and directional, so I would style it with rich browns, chocolate, cream, oatmeal, olive green, burgundy, soft grays, those sort of tones,” she said.

“It does work best, in my opinion, when the rest of the outfit feels relaxed and elevated rather than overly styled.”

The trick to making deer print work in any wardrobe is to treat it more like a textured neutral than a bold statement.

Think: outfits like a soft, oversized knit with a deer print slip skirt, or classic denim styled with a plain t-shirt and a fabulous fawn print jacket.

“For someone who might be more hesitant or does have a very considered core wardrobe, I would just start with one print piece, such as a skirt, or a scarf or bag, and just keep the rest of the outfit tonal,” Pokarier suggested.

But some critics have speculated the Bambi trend could be a warning sign the hugely popular animal print era is coming to an end.

They claim now all the ‘popular’ prints like leopard, tiger, zebra, snake and cow have been done, fashion houses are scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel to find new animal prints to slap on their latest collections.

Some have openly wondered what could possibly come after deer print and speculated it could mark the end of this particular fashion cycle.

Pokarier simply isn’t convinced.

“I don’t think it’s the end of animal print, it’s just an evolution of it,” she said.

Though trend-driven prints like tiger and snake have dropped off, more versatile animal prints can and will stand the test of time.

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For example, Pokarier considers leopard print a neutral these days because it’s become so embedded in Aussie wardrobes.

“Consumers are still interested in animal inspired fashion, but they’re craving something less overt, less sexy, and more understated,” she said.

“We’re moving away from high contrast, attention-grabbing animal prints towards more organic patterns, woodland references and natural colour palettes.

“I think deer print is simply the next chapter in our old-fashioned obsession with animal-inspired dressing; it’s just quieter, softer, and more romantic.”

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Shop the Bambi print look:

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