By Karli Poliziani

Wide-Legs Take Over The Avant-Garde: Denim Gets A Dramatic Makeover

Forget over-worn washes and basic cuts. Spring/Summer 2024 runways predicted wide-legs reimagined as wearable art — and they were right.
wide-legs
PARIS, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 28: A model walks the runway during the Rick Owens Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2024 fashion show as part of the Paris Fashion Week on September 28, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Denim’s dominion has shifted: the once-ubiquitous skinny jean has abdicated the throne, paving the way for a wider, bolder era.

Last fall, the Spring/Summer 2024 runways were awash in a sea of wide-leg pants, not just a resurrected denim trend, but a metamorphosis into an avant-garde canvas of all fabrications.

Gone are the predictable washes and cuts; in their place, a kaleidoscope of textures, embellishments, and silhouettes that redefine 2024’s pant potential. This is where comfort meets cutting edge, where casual becomes couture, and where the streets become your personal catwalk.

wide-legs
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 22: A model walks the runway during the Rick Owens Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2024 fashion show as part of the Paris Men Fashion Week on June 22, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Rick Owens, the undisputed emperor of sartorial darkness, conjured wide-legs with mega platform pumps that danced like shadows down the runway, each swish a whisper of gothic romance. It’s giving Wednesday Addams meets Studio 54, and we’re living for it.

wide-legs
A model walks the runway at the Tom Ford Spring 2024 Ready To Wear Runway Show on September 21, 2023 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty Images)

Tom Ford set the tone with a Midas touch: metallic wide-legs from classic metal colorways to pastel perfection, that shimmered like liquid treasure — a testament to denim’s newfound luxury.

Photo Credit: The Row

But avant-garde needn’t be flamboyant. The Row’s current collection whispers understated luxury with cozy, wide-leg trousers in sumptuous 100% virgin wool; the epitome of effortless chic.

Photo Credit: Acne Studios

And for those who like their pants with a side of practicality, Acne Studios’ wide-legs come equipped with oversized cargo pockets, blurring the line between fashion and function with audacious architectural flair. Because who needs a purse when you’ve got built-in storage?

Photo Credit (L-R): Stella McCartney, Loewe, Khaite

But it’s not just about individual designers; the whole Spring/Summer 2024 runway season pulsated with the wide-leg revolution. Stella McCartney reimagined denim as a fluid sculpture, Loewe played with proportions and draping, and Khaite has crafted wide-legs with architectural precision. Each interpretation a unique brushstroke on the denim canvas, a testament to the trend’s versatility and ever-evolving narrative.

Wide-legs are more than just a garment; they’re a statement. They’re a rejection of conformity, an embrace of individuality, and a declaration that comfort and style can, and should, coexist.

This story first appeared on GRAZIA US