Denim makes a comeback, finding fans in Emily Ratajkowski, Kate Moss and Michelle Obama and exposure in TV series Yellowstone

You would be forgiven for thinking that the taciturn cowboys on returning US drama Yellowstone and the world of Paris Fashion Week have little in common, but there is a link when it comes to fashion. We are talking about denim – that most useful, hard-wearing and mundane of fabrics worn by everyone from cowboys to singers and mechanics to movie stars – which has become particularly interesting of late. There is the unending fascination with Y2K fashion trends, the return of low-rise jeans and the “death” of skinny jeans thanks to Gen Z disdain. Glenn Martens, artistic director at Italian brand Diesel, is reimagining the fabric by splicing it with tulle and turning it into textural overcoats, teeny crops and more. Then there is Daniel Roseberry, the 37-year-old Texan creative director at storied fashion house Schiaparelli, crafting denim jackets with rosettes or conical bras. The denim is a nod to Roseberry’s Americanness – America being the spiritual home of jeans – and his dismantling of stuffy ideas about haute couture. It also reflects the pragmatism of the house’s founder, Elsa Schiaparelli. At Bottega Veneta, the recently installed creative director, Matthieu Blazy, has made denim the most luxurious and coveted item of the year thanks to a pair of jeans and a white tank in his debut collection that were crafted from leather, and jeans and flannel worn by model Kate Moss for spring/summer 2023. Effortlessly cool Danish brand Ganni has collaborated for the third time with Levi’s, this time with YouTube luminary Emma Chamberlain as the face of its advertising, while Jonathan Anderson at Loewe continues to push the boundaries of luxury with each collection, such as with his inverted denim jacket and balloon-hemmed denim skirts. It’s a Ralph Lauren world and we’re all living in it, says designer’s son The fabric was popular with the street style set at this year’s fashion months, too – worn in all manner of ways, from Danish fashion influencer Pernille Teisbaek’s cargo trousers to that mid-00s staple the maxi skirt, and a whole load of double denim (tops and bottoms made from the fabric). The “Canadian tuxedo” – a denim jacket paired with denim jeans – has come a long way since US singers Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears rocked up to the 2001 American Music Awards in their iconic matching outfits. Model Emily Ratajkowski (known to her fans as EmRata, her social media handle) wore a slouchy ensemble to the Loewe spring/summer 2023 show in September, style icon Pharrell Williams wore light blue wash Prada with loafers and white socks in New York last month, and former US first lady Michelle Obama wore double-denim Ganni at an event for the launch of her new book. Does this not prove that the greatest appeal of denim lies in its very utility and capacity for innovation and reinvention? That capacity for reinvention also means that denim trends will come and go, so do not throw out your skinny jeans yet even though everything is a little slouchier and experimental right now. Libby Page, market director at luxury retailer Net-a-Porter, says the reign of the ’90s is continuing this year and the likes of Kate Moss and Jennifer Aniston are bringing back the boot-cut trouser – an aesthetic that absolutely extends to denim. “[The] ’90s denim trends continue to prevail, especially baggier low-rise jeans. Brands such as Bottega Veneta delivered styles in lighter washes with a detailed texture that added dimension during Milan Fashion Week, approaching the trend with relaxed and easy-to-wear styles,” she says. “We’re also seeing a return to the wide-leg baggy jean. Customers are looking for comfort and cool in denim right now. We love the lighter washes and ripped styles.” How Yellowstone’s John and Beth Dutton keep it real in clothes that fit Ditte Reffstrup, creative director at Ganni, agrees that denim is an eternal go-to. She says the third collaboration between Ganni and Levi’s experimented with natural dyes, something new for both brands, and she lists her favourite pieces as the maxi patchwork dress and denim maxi skirt. Reffstrup says denim is a “superpower” item. “Denim is my favourite material; it’s so versatile and has a way of transcending trends and seasons like no other,” she says. “I love classic denim pieces like jeans and pairing it with shirts, knits and chunky boots. There’s also some sort of superpower around denim, because I feel like it’s that material that makes you feel capable and confident in any situation.” The Yellowstone cowboys and front-row attendees at fashion weeks would probably agree.