Apple vs Microsoft: fashion icons

We’re on a collision course with extreme bad taste with the forthcoming launches of hundreds of Leopard-ready applications. Leopard skin is without doubt the most downmarket and vulgar of all animal coat patterns. It brings to mind Coronation Street’s bleach-blonde wrinkly tart Bet Lynch – not one of Steve Jobs or Jonathan Ive’s design icons, I’m sure.

But it seems that Apple has once more proved itself to be at the beating heart of the fashion zeitgeist with news that leopard skin – once the old chav – is now the new black. Kate Moss loves it. You can buy a Dolce & Gabbana watch strapped in it, and splash out £900 on a similar Prada bowling bag. There’s a flash of fashion features purring praise over the super spots in all the glossy mags.

The world’s largest Apple Store in London’s Regent Street is minutes away from New Bond Street, Saville Row and Top Shop. It’s high fashion and street cool. Microsoft’s UK offices are between a leisure centre and gravel pit outside Reading. Leopard 1 – Vista 0.

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Comments received

Cynic said on Tuesday, 24 October 2006

That's fine just so long as all the 'skins' are fake. Real leopard skin, or that of any other cat, big or small (a lot of fur trimming coming out of China is cat or dog fur), looks best left on the animal.

Simon Jary said on Thursday, 26 October 2006

Agreed. Apple is endangering wildlife with its reckless codenames and furry boxes.

Cynic said on Saturday, 28 October 2006

Er - didn't really say that, but real animal fur use is on the increase & real animal fur can only come from real animals. It's seems pretty pointless to me having eco-warriors running around trying to slaughter 4x4s in a misguided attempt to save the planet, if the fashionistas are running around actually slaughtering the wildlife to make watch straps or bags.

Personally, if Kate Moss (all mock porno & heroin chic pix) endorses something, it's no incentive to me to jump on the bandwagon.

Cynic said on Saturday, 28 October 2006

Not having an edit on this is getting a bit annoying already. OK, I should have spotted the typo of 's on 'it' & call me fussy to want to correct it, but...