Why 2025 Could Be a Massive Year for Selvedge Denim

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Six Denim Trends Pointing in the Same Direction

In 1987, an orca living in the salmon-rich waters of the Pacific Northwest started a trend in her pod. She began wearing a dead salmon on her head. Other members of her pod were soon mimicking her behaviour. 

The “salmon hat” craze spread to other nearby pods and lasted nearly two months before the behaviour disappeared as quickly as it had emerged. Now, there’s some evidence that the fashionable fishy chapeaus are making a comeback in Puget Sound.

Just as, nearly four decades ago, researchers suggested that the killer whales’ adoption of the salmon hat was evidence of a kind of fashion-conscious behaviour, the re-emergence of the trend suggests that, even in the animal kingdom, fashion moves in cycles.

Like the ocean, denim ebbs and flows in the world of fashion. But, like the ocean, it’s always there. In the world of casual style, jeans have the same kind of staying power as the suit does in the world of traditional menswear. It’s not a matter of if people are wearing jeans or suits; it’s just a matter of how they’re cut and styled.

Each year, style forecasters tell us which way the denim winds seem to be blowing. Since denim trends are expressed across a nearly impossibly broad world of cultures and subcultures, there’s never a single dominant trend. Streetwear might be pulling denim in one direction, while the smart casual crowd might be pulling it in the opposite direction.

Some of these here-today-gone-tomorrow denim trends dip a toe into the world of raw denim, introducing newcomers to selvedge brands and retailers in the process. While most trends skip over our little slow-moving eddy of the denim world, occasionally, trends align, bringing a dramatic spike in attention to the world of selvedge denim.

The last time this happened was in the first decade of our new century, when a New York-led cadre of hipsters kickstarted a kind of authenticity revolution, which placed artisans, slow, ethical manufacturing, and a kind of lumber-centric style and hirsute masculinity into the spotlight.

As the urban lumberjacks (aka lumbersexuals) pulled stakes and spread the gospel of well-made and heritage goods across North America and Europe, Japanese denim brands benefited from the renewed interest in the kind of rugged American style they’d already been perfecting for decades.

Selvedge has not been hot in the same way since then. It returned to its comfortable niche, with enthusiasts and a small but steady stream of newcomers keeping the passion for well-made denim alive.

But now, the stars seem to be aligning. This year’s denim trends, in aggregate, point to a tremendous opportunity for selvedge brands and retailers—one we hope they’ll seize with both hands.

For each of the 2025 denim trends below, we’ll look at what the trend is, but also, how it might help bring style-conscious consumers into the selvedge fold. These are not forecasts for where the market is headed—only our understanding of where we seem to be at the moment, and what this might mean for selvedge brands and retailers. 

We’ll leave the forecasting to the style prognosticators who have their finger on the ever-changing pulse of fashion. Based on what we’re seeing, though, this year could be a bumper crop for selvedge denim brands and retailers.

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Trend #1: Darker Washes

The Staying Power of Dark Denim

For both men and women, the preference for dark washes continues into 2025. Uniformly dark pairs lend themselves equally well to smart or dressed-down looks. The dark fabric not only hides stains (a key feature for its workwear adherents); it also allows designers to bring focus to silhouette and carefully considered details.  

While fully washed-down denim is enjoying a moment in the sun (think Kendrick Lamar at the Grammys and the Super Bowl), dark denim’s foothold in the world of fashion and style remains as strong as ever. 

While selvedge is prized for how it fades, it is also appreciated for how it looks when it’s fresh off the rack. When crisp and raw, it speaks volumes about its quality and careful manufacturing, and its weight and visual texture make it stand out from the ocean of uninteresting denim on the market.

Those looking for exceptionally dark and characterful denims will find themselves spoiled for choice if/when they discover the world of selvedge. The style cognoscenti at British Vogue seem to be pointing their readers in the right direction. They’re recommending selvedge brands like Nudie and Edwin to their (largely female) readers who want to stay ahead of the curve with their denim choices in 2025.

Of course, Nudie and Edwin are only the tip of the iceberg. To see our more extensive list of selvedge brands we recommend, featuring a mixture of Japanese, American, and European brands, check our Selvedge Masterlist. 

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Trend #2: Vintage Denim

Blue Gold: Vintage Hounds Cash In

If you have even a passing interest in vintage pieces, you’ve probably noticed that vintage bargains are getting harder and harder to come by. The most desirable and on-trend vintage pieces are selling for four or even five figures. 

The true grail pieces of the denim collecting world (wearable pieces from the 19th century) are now trading hands for north of six figures. For all but the most serious and deep-pocketed collectors, highly desirable vintage pieces are essentially unattainable.

Japan experienced something similar in the ‘70s and ‘80s when rabid Japanese fans of vintage Levi’s 501s caused the price of vintage pairs to skyrocket. Japanese brands like Evisu and Denime responded by making more-affordable stitch-perfect reproductions of American classics. In time, these reproductions became better than the originals they were copied from.

With vintage clothing becoming such a sellers’ market, interested consumers might find themselves falling into the arms of heritage brands that traffic in nostalgia. If you’ve ever said, “They don’t make them like they used to”, you might be surprised to learn that yes, they do.

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Trend #3: Higher Rises

Navel Explorers: A Rising Tide Lifts All Waistbands

Thanks to a resurgence of interest in properly tailored menswear, more men are getting the message that the combination of low-slung, slim-fitting trousers and tucked-in shirts is not doing anybody any favours–particularly not those who have any padding around the middle.

The world of traditional menswear is bleeding into heritage menswear

If you prefer untucked looks, low- and medium-rise pairs will remain an excellent option, but if you’re looking for stylish versatility, join the growing number of people looking at higher-rise pairs.

In the golden age of workwear (the first half of the twentieth century), higher rises were the norm. Selvedge brands are very comfortable in this territory, and those looking for the best of higher-rise jeans might find themselves tumbling down the heritage selvedge rabbit hole.

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Trend #4: Wider Cuts

Baggy and Its Inevitable Breaking Point

This is one of those areas where the runway and street fashion are in near-perfect alignment. Designers are responding to baggy jeans being worn at street level that either hang straight down from the hips or balloon out to nearly comic proportions.

The last time we saw jeans this baggy was in the ‘90s when hip-hop and rave culture combined to give us jeans so laughably large (anybody remembers JNCOs?) that we needed a nearly three-decade reprieve before they were ready to return.

When we find designers pushing into extreme territory, this usually signals that the end is near. We’re nearing that point now—some are saying that we’ve already crossed that line and that baggy jeans have come to the end of the line.

Heritage brands that offer generous cuts (again, inspired by vintage waist overalls, which were meant to be worn over ‘proper’ trousers) haven’t fallen into the trap. Their handsome wider-legged cuts might catch consumers who are seeking a more reasonable middle ground between tight and baggy.

Selvedge brands like Full Count and Japan Blue have leaned into the trend with wider-legged fits, but they’ve done so without pushing it to extremes. Pairs like these might catch the eye of consumers who want to participate in the trend without looking ridiculous.

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Trend #5: Turned Up Cuffs

A Selvedge Signifier Cruises into the Mainstream

I haven’t seen any trend forecasters talking about this, but I’ve noticed the trend every time I’m in capital cities in Europe. Young and old, people are turning up the cuffs of their jeans more than ever before.

Not too long ago, upturned cuffs were nearly the exclusive domain of selvedge enthusiasts. Whenever you saw that flash of cuff, it was virtually guaranteed, you’d find that selvedge outseam with it. The practice began drifting into the mainstream years ago, and it’s now everywhere I look (and I’m always looking at cuffs).

What those flipping their overlocked outseams might fail to realise is that they’re showing off the least attractive parts of their jeans. The selvedge ID is a hallmark of quality; its absence speaks just as loudly as its presence. We can only hope that those rolling their cuffs have their attention drawn to the cuffs of those who do have a selvedge ID.

This might lead them to ask why our selvedge cuffs look so clean while their non-selvedge cuffs look so ragged. I’ve been going out of my way to explain the difference to folks on the street—even if they don’t ask.

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Trend #6: Western Wear

Western Style is Right on Time 

In their excellent book on western style, How the West Was Worn, Holly George-Warren and Michelle Freedman say that western style moves through the mainstream on a seven-year cycle. Seven years ago, Yellowstone debuted, leading to a western style goldsrush that gave a substantial lift to brands like Wrangler and Pendleton. 

Now, seven years later, western style is back, like clockwork, for another slow waltz around the dancefloor. With a little help from Queen Bey and her collaboration with Levi’s, western classics like embroidered shirts, big hats, and cowboy boots are fashionable once again—and, of course, they’ve brought along cowboy cut jeans for the ride.

Even if you don’t have a horse to ride, you’ll need to grab a pair of jeans that will help you look as though you were born in the saddle. Legacy western brands like Wrangler, Levi’s, and Lee will all do the trick, but if you want a more elevated western cut, brands like Brave Star and Freenote Cloth cater to cowboys who want a little more steak on their plate.

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Set Your Own Trends

We always encourage our readers to go their own way. Still, if you’re looking for advice on what to wear or how to wear it, we’ve got plenty of advice to offer. You can find our Selvedge Style FAQ here and our buying guides here. 

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DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site