Written by Sam Knowlton
Edited by Léah Champagne
It’s been 2-3 years since the baggy pants wave really took off, flooding the retail market in the blink of an eye and accompanying the outfits we see every day. Since 2022, the rebellious and laid-back attitude that crewed a post-COVID Gen Z has had loose-fitting denim fly off of PacSun shelves at your local mall. Naturally, fashion personalities and hobbyists around the globe have begun to speculate: when are we going to see the return to slim? Don’t look now, but skinny jeans just might be back on the menu. A storm is brewing in the back of some internet subcultures that just might bring tight-fitting pants and cropped leather jackets back to the mainstream. The question is, what caused this disruption in the fashion landscape, and what does it have to do with a Parisian designer from the early 2000s?
Before you ask, no, Slimane isn’t a skinny jeans pun; it’s his actual last name. Similarly to now, Slimane found himself entering the fashion scene in an era where skate culture and baggy silhouettes dominated the 90’s landscape with JNCO, and bootcut styles were beginning to emerge in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. This would all begin to change, though, as Slimane became the creative director of Dior Homme in 2000. In the early days of his career, he drew inspiration from a lineage of slim rock looks: Stones, Ramones, and especially David Bowie’s “Thin White Duke” persona. Cleverly, he propelled his line into the culture by targeting emerging underground music groups such as Crystal Castles and the Strokes, who felt like a perfect fit for those whom Slimane originally drew inspiration from.
Dior SS 2007
Over two decades later, however, the recipe for this skinny jean bubble feels similar. Low‑profile sneakers—Sambas, Golden Goose, Margiela GATs—and leaner leather shoes are back. The smaller the shoes, the thinner the pants. Furthermore, in a perfect storm for this style, an emerging underground scene is beginning to rupture the surface of pop culture once again, just like the context around Slimane’s original success. Artists like 2hollis, Fakemink, and even TikTokers like Chris Heyn are all really embracing this underground grunge vibe and picking up some steam. With some not-so-subtle lyrics like “2025 but my jeans still Hedi” from Fakemink and recent cosigns from the likes of Drake, Timothèe Chalamet, PinkPantheress, Frank Ocean, and more, it feels like a shift is about to tip into the mainstream.
However, just because Hedi is the face of this cultural movement doesn’t mean every aspiring Hedi boy has to pull up with 2001 Dior in every outfit. Brands like Rick Owens, Diesel and more have made a place for themselves at the forefront with their grungy aesthetics. Even then, the rules aren’t strict. Any thin mid-low-waisted jean accompanied by an equally small top completes this look. For bonus points, though, adding as much leather to the outer and footwear as possible can’t hurt.
If you were to ask me how real this revival is, I’d tell you it’s too early to know. While the signs are all pointing to affirmative, it’s difficult to tell nowadays what will stick or what will fade away without ever seeing its moment. With social media cycling trends in and out as fast as it does nowadays, it’s tough to imagine a skinny season as long as we had in the 2000s and 2010s, but fans of the genre can hope. In reality, I believe it’s a lot more likely that the Hedi boy remains a smaller bubble of the fashion ecosystem, with a loud but small core. Regardless, if the style speaks to you, let this be a sign, a suggestion to dig to the very bottom of your jeans drawer and let that extra skinny pair from 2016 see the light of day for the first time in years.
Leave a Reply