With the impending onset of summer (ha!) comes the inevitable announcement of those annual summer trends that will never go away (nautical stripes or ethnic prints anyone?). Lets take the ever-present ‘safari’ trend – predictable and a little bit tired if you go down the old khaki jacket route; far more exciting if you take a walk on the wild side with all those beauties of the animal kingdom.

Emma Cook seems to be have been doing just that with her adorable new collection for Topshop. Pretty sundresses and t-shirts are the stripey meadows and jungles on which miniature zebras gallop. With prints that look like children’s bedding from the 80s and Emma’s inherent dose of girliness with an edge, this is the cutest way to wear pattern and safari for spring. Or go authentic and scour some charity shops for actual children’s bedding from the 80s…

Really, the animal kingdom is harbouring a wealth of untapped inspiration. You could run with the zebra and use the ubiquotous striped top for some chaotic clashing with floaty florals. Make like a songbird and adorn dresses and curls with feathers from haberdasheries or a show pony with french plaits and ribbons.

The gold koala pendant I wear every day is like a little token of blue skies from my Australian heritage while my pheasant printed silk scarf is Scottish countryside personified and makes me feel like a fellow woodland creature. There is nothing like a bit of animal escapism to distract from all those April showers…