Forget Bet Lynch - leopard skin 2009 is a sleek, chic reinvention

This autumn, leopard print appears in so many different incarnations that even the most ardent dislikers (of which I am one) can't help but be swayed.

Banish all notions of Bet Lynch, Kat Slater and other blousy barmaids from the soap opera archives: leopard 2009 is a sleek, chic reinvention that has nothing to do with trash and everything to do with panache. Hey, that rhymes.

In pictures: Back in fashion - Celebs love leopard skin

I wouldn't like to say which designer first struck upon casting leopard print in different colours, but if I had a gun to my head, I'd probably blurt "Marc Jacobs".

Those Louis Vuitton/Stephen Sprouse leopard-print scarves that first appeared in the mists of 2006 in grey/red, navy/pink and khaki/black colourways have a lot to answer for.

With two new colourways recently added, there soon won't be a fashion editor in the land - nay, world - without one.

At Lanvin, Alber Elbaz also contributed to the rejuvenation of leopard, with a series of beautiful silk dresses rendered in spot-speckled candy pink and blue.

Another designer responsible for leopard's resurgence is Azzedine Alaia, who has been including a splash of leopard in his collections for years.

For autumn 2009, Blumarine has continued the trend: most of the current collection features leopard print in different, colourful, guises.

Such an eye-catching print as leopard is manna to the paparazzo's lens, so it's hardly surprising that celebrities have taken to it with such alacrity.

Rachel Weisz wore an Isabel Marant dress to the after-party of A Streetcar Named Desire, as well as a Marc Jacobs leopard-print coat to her first performance.

Anna Friel went one better and opted for a print of an actual leopard on her oh-so-trendy Christopher Kane T-shirt dress.

Other leopard lovers include Sienna Miller, Lily Allen and Rihanna. We think Rihanna wears it best.

Divested of its habitual black and tan markings, it's surprising how sophisticated leopard can be. But in the right hands, even the more traditionally coloured leopard looks quite fabulous this autumn.

Cult French label Isabel Marant is a good port of call for flirty (but not tarty) dresses, skirts and jackets in delicate fabrics such as chiffon and silk.

For a more fierce, diva-ish look, head for Dolce & Gabbana; for a more romantic take, try Dries Van Noten. And for a souped-up, disco version, try Topshop, which has a leopard-print sequined mini-skirt for £55.

Even if the subtlest leopard print is still too "lady of the night" to countenance wearing on your body, you'd have to be pretty stubborn to avoid falling in love with autumn's best leopard-print accessories.

Highlights include Christian Louboutin's Manamouk ankle boots (£745), Christopher Kane's grey and black leopard scarf (£455) and Mulberry's orange patent leopard-print clutch (£495).

In pictures: Back in fashion - Celebs love leopard skin