WHAT is common between Jackie Kennedy, Melania Trump, and Princess Nefertiabet who lived more than 4,000 years ago in Egypt? All three are known to have draped themselves in leopard print dresses. Only the pharaohs were old money and did not mind faux over fur as leopard spots; to be precise, rosettes were commonly printed and woven into fabric in ancient Egypt.

According to an NYT story, Ms Kennedy’s jacket was made from pelts of many wild leopards killed for their lustrous coat. Estimates indicate that some 250,000 leopards were killed in the fashion frenzy ignited by Jackie’s sartorial choice.

Appalled by the ever-increasing list of endangered animals, conservationists, fashionistas, and animal rights activists have launched a movement calling for royalties for the species appropriated in any commercial product. The royalties, even if levied in pennies, can raise millions that can be directed towards the well-being of the species.

The leopard print is also a favourite in Pakistan; we call it the ‘cheetah print’, as it is an oft-used misnomer for a whole range of the Panthera family. If the royalties for appropriation trend catches on, owls, billy goats, and jackasses will stand to benefit the most here.

Historically, cruelty........

© Dawn