Denim befitting Marie Antoinette, a new generation of heritage brands and denim with a human touch are among the themes Amy Leverton, the founder of Denim Dudes, is presenting for Fall/Winter 2027-2028.
Leverton presented the trends last month at Denim Première Vision in Milan. Here’s a closer look at how the three themes will shape denim trends.
High on romance
“Designers are moving away from minimalism and quiet luxury into this renewed sense of romance, and that’s what we see it in fluid fabrics, ruffles, florals and decorative detailing, and this is across collections from Valentino, Dior, Chanel, Chloe, Alexander McQueen…the list goes on,” Leverton said.
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Romance is in. Though romantic boho fashion has seeped into style in recent seasons, Leverton said films like “Wuthering Heights” and “Hamlet” have flung period-specific silhouettes and opulent fabrics further into the zeitgeist. Additionally, new creative directors at major couture houses have brought new energies to their ateliers, introducing more expressive and emotional approaches to fashion. Gucci Memoria, a collection of tapestries that tells the fashion brand’s 105-year-old history, is one example of how brands are romanticizing their archives.
“After years of restraint and micro trends and algorithmic driven dressing, fashion is really reintroducing feeling and softness and emotion and storytelling back into fashion,” Leverton said, noting that references to John Galliano’s ’90s collection indicate a clear like shift in the industry. “Fashion is feeling more thoughtful, more introspective, and more rooted into this sort of moody self-expression,” she said.
Soft blushes, moody indigos, burnished browns and deep reds help tell the story. Sluggy surfaces, inky indigo, green casts, wool and cashmere blends and flocked finishes put a denim spin on it. “We have seen so much flocking, but I’m loving all of the destroyed flocked surfaces as well,” Leverton said.
The romantic mood can be applied to a variety of denim aesthetics. Velvet and saturated darks add a serious tone to Western denim. Cinched backs and split pockets nod to heritage denim. Napoleonic tailoring is reworked through a modern lens, and ruffled necklines and opulent bows overtake more demure details. Leverton is seeing an uptick of designers pairing denim with sheer fluid fabrics such as chiffon lace and silk. Jewelry-inspired denim like jeans made with silver threads or covered with crystals are also on the rise.
Leverton added that the romantic trend also channels the indie sleaze aesthetic through low-slung boot cut denim with a “worn-in rock star attitude” and distressed finishes.
Keeping it real
As AI accelerates, Leverton said the value of “being visibly human increases.” This is coming through consumers’ rejection of anything that feels too resolved, optimized or perfect and their pivot to anything that celebrates the sloppy, messy side of creativity, she explained.
“AI has introduced this layer of skepticism when it comes to imagery online. And so, this generation is being taught to not necessarily trust what they see. It’s creating this paradox: everything is visible, but nothing is fully believable. So, what does this leave? Careless abandon,” she said.
The result is a chaotic and playful trend story, anchored with deeper meaning. Denim staples like the Trucker jacket and 5-pocket jeans are deconstructed. Current trends like twisted seams and barrel fits evolve into tulip jeans. Crinkled finishes, spray washing, unexpected remnant repairs and coatings—from matte to super glossy to distressed—help tell this individualistic theme.
“Silhouettes feel assembled, not designed. There are delicate and distress elements, mixing textures, proportions and eras to create this sort of unintentionally undone but emotionally driven look that feels very personal, lived in and very DIY,” Leverton said.
New heritage
A more commercial trend rooted in New York City, sports and pre social media eras like the ’80s and ’90s is also bubbling up. Here, Leverton said consumers have deeper attachment to garments. It’s heritage but not limited to brands with vast archives and stories about cowboys wearing their jeans. She said there’s a new generation of brands (i.e. Buck Mason) that have been borrowing the codes from tried-and-true older brands but making them feel more accessible and more contemporary.
Collegiate prep, “editor style” or a more wearable take on power dressing and Southwestern references collide here, creating an eclectic but wearable wardrobe that feels personal and curated. In denim, this translates to a mix of silhouettes and styling: the ’80s 501 fit, high waist belted jeans, weekend jean jackets with cocoon-like shapes, jeans tucked into boots and denim mixed with plaid.
