Handbag by Kooba, Ballet Flats by Rachel Roy

Skin is in — snakeskin, that is.

Whether it’s bags, boots or blouses, the marbled, textured snakeskin look seems to be fashion’s new favorite alternative to more traditional animal prints. It’s not that snake is new, but it seems fresher than now-ubiquitous leopard and cheetah spots.

Andrea Linett, creative director at Lucky magazine, predicts snake will hold on to that feeling of uniqueness even after being featured on many recent designer runways. There’s a lot to be done with the snakeskin look, Linett says, and it easily navigates back and forth between sexy, edgy and classic.

Snakeskin is “beautiful, rich and earthy,” says Abbe Held, creative director of Kooba, known best as a handbag line. Held’s favorite snake piece is a brown bag, which she likes best paired with an oatmeal-colored cashmere sweater and jeans — but she’d also wear it with a suit.

“It can be your one bag for the season,” she says. “I think skin is for all year-round. We’ve done it in spring, for holiday. It’s considered a staple.”