The jeans millennials once swore off are strutting back into stores.
Low-rise jeans are back and catching on so much so that denim brands are taking notice.
For years, high-rise and mid-rise jeans dominated the market. Then, baggy jeans caught hold of Gen Z’s attention. But there are signs that those styles are beginning to cycle out, with jeans featuring a lower waist and a bootcut leg ready to take their place.
From Kylie Jenner to Jennifer Lopez, celebrities have been spotted rocking hip-hugging jeans from brands like True Religion, and Lucky Brand just launched a second campaign with singer Addison Rae featuring low-waisted jeans and denim shorts in time for warmer weather.
On the heels of its success of a controversial campaign with Sydney Sweeney, American Eagle Outfitters talked about the trend on its earnings call on Wednesday.
“I think, definitely, the rises are getting lower. You’re seeing more midriffs being shown,” said Jennifer Foyle, American Eagle and Aerie’s president and executive creative director.
The company told analysts on the call that it expects pressure on its denim category as it learns from past missteps like leaning into fits that consumers weren’t as interested in buying.
In 2025, the American Eagle brand found itself caught up in a denim war with Gap and Lucky Brand, as all three companies dropped their own star-studded campaigns to promote their jeans. It looks like it paid off, with Gap and American Eagle reporting strong earnings for the quarter in which the ads dropped.
Meanwhile, millennials are taking their denim in a different direction and entering their mom jeans era, which can be identified by their relaxed fit and high waists. They may get left behind on the new wave of Y2K style they thought they left behind in the early 2000s.
“This business has changed drastically,” Foyle said. “The lower rise is something that we are addressing.”
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