Ellie Thumann Puts Stamp of Approval on Summer Animal Print Trend on European Vacation

The content creator is all about vibrant prints—and this latest trend is right up her alley.

Ellie Thumann / Michael Kovac/Getty Images

If this summer has taught us anything, it’s that animal print is back in style. It’s nothing new, really. Leopard and cheetah prints have been in and out of the style conversation for decades now. But at this current moment in time—in summer 2024, the eye-catching patterns really couldn’t be more in vogue.

Though we, of course, can get behind the resurgence, we’re not basing our assessment solely on personal preference. All season, we’ve been taking notes on the dozens of incredibly fashionable celebrities and models who are embracing pattern anew. Models like SI Swimsuit’s Christen Harper and Chrissy Teigen have already stepped out this summer in looks that prove their appreciation for the pattern. Now, Ellie Thumann is doing the same.

While on vacation in Sardinia, an Italian island in the Mediterranean, the content creator declared her support for the seasonal trend. For an afternoon under the sun, she paired a black one-piece swimsuit with cheetah print mini shorts—a simple, stylish way to incorporate the loud print into her wardrobe. Thumann showed off the outfit in an Instagram carousel from her idyllic late summer European getaway.

Her choice of cheetah print was certainly bold, but it wasn’t unexpected from the 22-year-old. The SI Swimsuit model is no stranger to loud patterns. In her second consecutive SI Swim photo shoot alone, she opted for two swimsuits in just about the most vibrant (sort of retro) prints that we could find.

Ellie Thumann was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico. Swimsuit by Missoni. Hat by Greenpacha. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

All of which is to say, vibrant patterns are an important part of her style—and Thumann is on board with the whole animal print trend.