Leopard Print Is Back and It’s Taking Over Your November IPSY Bags

Why Leopard, Why Now?

For IPSY designer Joanne Wong, November’s starting point wasn’t simply animal print—it was the feeling of getting ready for a really good night.

“November kicks off the holiday party season, so we wanted a design that instantly feels like getting ‘decked out’ for the holiday,” says Wong. “Leopard is a timeless statement. It brings warmth and festive glamour to your beauty look and party outfit.”

The design team’s mood board pulled from plush party coats, glossy pomegranate-red lips, and dressed-up holiday beauty. From there, they experimented with the scale and color of the leopard until it felt just right on both bag silhouettes.

The goal: statement-making without feeling overly trendy.

Rather than going for a high-contrast animal print, Wong softened the spots with warm golden-amber undertones, then added rich pomegranate-red accents for a hit of festive color. Think classic leopard, dressed up for party season.

Two Bags, Two Ways to Go Wild

For IPSY Original, faux leather gives the Glam Bag structure, while a pomegranate-red wristlet strap transforms it into something that can go straight from your vanity to your night out. “It easily turns your beauty pouch into a wearable holiday party clutch,” says Wong.

Consider your party bag handled.

The IPSY Extra drawstring bag takes leopard in a softer direction with smooth microfiber and a roomier silhouette. Two pomegranate-red stripes run down the center, breaking up the allover print while adding a sporty-chic contrast. 

Together, they make a pretty convincing argument for treating leopard like a neutral. The print does the talking; the details make it feel unmistakably November.

Getting the Spots Just Right

Of course, there's leopard—and then there’s the right leopard.

Wong and the team went through about four rounds of color and scale testing, experimenting with everything from cool gray tones to tiny micro-prints before landing on the final version. “We landed on this warm golden-amber print because it felt the most decadent and paired seamlessly with holiday deep red and metallic makeup palettes,” says Wong. 

Getting the two bags to look cohesive presented another challenge: faux leather and microfiber take color differently. The team fine-tuned the print several times, while the Extra bag’s larger surface required another design solve—the double stripe—to keep all that leopard feeling intentional rather than overwhelming.

But the biggest surprise came when that final pomegranate shade entered the picture. “The moment we added the pomegranate zips and double stripes, it transformed from a classic neutral bag into a festive, party-ready showstopper,” says Wong. 

Classic print. Party-season attitude. November’s officially gone wild.