Individual and versatile: Denim trends for AW26 womenswear

Denim, with its roots in workwear, is often regarded as the basis of a simple everyday uniform, where volume, length and embellishment usually mark the greatest extremes. Yet the durable fabric offers more scope than it might initially suggest.

Rather than revisiting the old question of whether women will wear skinny or wider trousers this winter, designers from London to New York presented several standout pieces that made conventional denim treatments such as stonewashing look dated.

Statement jackets

The denim jacket is a true classic that, over recent decades, has evolved primarily through different washes, lengths and customisation details such as embroidery and patches. However, this type of piece has far more to offer than serving as a simple trans-seasonal jacket, as designers demonstrated across their AW26 collections.

The options ranged from an oversized collar, draped around the neck almost like a towel, to added shoulder tabs and ruching, as well as asymmetric cuts and layered constructions. Also on show were a knee-length coat with ruching; a sharply cropped, rock-inspired version with long sleeves; and an elegant style finished with an additional denim train.

Adaptable

Not only denim jackets stand out from the crowd this season; trousers and skirts also offer several alternatives to standard silhouettes. Adaptability is at the centre of the story.

Designers presented various approaches to transformable pieces with different styling options. British designer Stella McCartney, for example, showed jeans featuring two vertical zips running from the waistband down the full length of each leg. This allows the silhouette to be adjusted symmetrically on both legs or asymmetrically on one side.

New York label Eckhaus Latta, meanwhile, played with multiple layers. Two long denim legs with cut-outs at the crotch sat over brief shorts, to which they were attached. US brand Tibi also offered extra versatility through a loincloth-style panel worn over long jeans. British brand JW Anderson presented a piece that sits somewhere between a skirt and capri trousers, complete with additional layers.

Between palazzo trousers and long skirts

Wearers gain even more movement through the choice of a long denim skirt, from high-waisted to low-waisted, or wide palazzo trousers. In some of these denim looks, it is even difficult to tell whether the garment features two wide trouser legs or simply the opening of a skirt.

Other brands such as Masha Popova explored a similar shape more directly. The London-based label combined regular jeans with a wide, floor-length train, echoing the silhouette of skirts and palazzo trousers.

Mini

A long train also appeared at US denim brand 7 For All Mankind, this time paired with a very brief pencil miniskirt. The look was styled with a matching denim jacket and dark tights.

Overall, the message for autumn/winter 2026 appears to be that when skirts get shorter, at least a long-sleeved top is worn on top. Brands such as Keburia and Diesel reflected this approach, sending a pleated skirt and extremely short legless shorts down the runway.

Floral embellishments

A true classic and recurring trend is the floral motif, which once again decorated several pairs of jeans and denim jackets this season. What stood out, however, was that in most cases a subtle pattern was barely an option. On many looks, the flora climbed up the leg of the jeans or was repeated boldly across the entire piece. Styles ranged from understated embroidery and single-colour prints to full colour and ornate detailing.