5 Denim Trends I Saw at Paris Fashion Week That Are Bound to Show Up in London in 2026

It’s been a particularly busy fashion month, and whether I was reporting live from the front row at LFW, or celeb spotting at NYFW, one thing I always make time for whatever the city, is noting the street style trends. Designers may set the tone for what we’re going to wear next season, but the crowds outside the shows are a strong indicator of what is resonating now, and one thing I noticed while metro hopping in Paris, was just how much stylish Parisians love denim.

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If you thought the typical French wardrobe was still bouclé jackets, cigarette trousers and ballet pumps, I can assure you, the times have drastically changed. People in the capital love experimenting with shape, colour and texture, and while the French will always be known for an appreciation of the classics, modern dressers are also incorporating playful pieces and fun accessories into their looks, refreshing what we consider to be the archetypal French “uniform”.

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This March, Paris was full of spring-ready outfits built around denim staples. Yes, there were jeans and blouses, jeans and tees, jeans and jackets, jeans and, well just about anything, but there were also plenty of denim jackets and skirts too. For too long humble denim has been relegated to casual territory, but Parisians know how to style it up to it’s full potential.

Curious as to how you can make denim feel fresh in 2026? Keep scrolling to see the 5 denim trends that have been doing the rounds this Paris Fashion Week for some inspiration. It’s one of the fashion capitals of the world for a very good reason.

1. Ultra Distressed Jeans

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Style Notes: Parisians might have a reputation for being polished, but that’s not going to stop them from getting into a down and dirty denim trend like roughed up, distressed jeans. If it looks like they’ve been slept in, rolled around in, and worn day in and day out for years, it gets the cool-girl stamp of approval. We called it first, and the rise of the “messy girl” aesthetic is a rally against the quiet-luxury-clean-girl look that has dominated fashion for the last couple of years. This season it pays to look like you haven’t tried too hard,

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Shop Distressed Jeans

2. White Jeans

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Style Notes: Yes, you can wear cream, ecru and white trousers outside of summer, and at Paris Fashion Week, attendees were wearing white washes of denim with warmer layers like funnel neck jackets and mohair cardigans over tanks and tees. There’s something surprisingly luxe about cream denim in looser, relaxed fits, but especially when accessorised with heels and ladylike mini bags.

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Shop Cream Jeans:

3. Quirky Details

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Style Notes: With so many pairs of straight legged, indigo and true blue wash jeans on the market, Parisians are looking for a point of difference that makes their denim stand out in the crowd. Little touches like studs, embroidery, reworked waistbands, contrast stitching and raw hems help to make simple jeans feel like a talking point, and follows the lead of designers like Coperni, ACNE and Diesel who are rewriting the denim rulebook in the 2020s.

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4. Double Denim

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Style Notes: Perhaps it’s time to rebrand the “Texan tuxedo” as the “French fancy” as Americans have moved away from double denim just as Europeans are leaning into it. Unlike the original slim fit of the ’80s and ’90s, this time around double denim is supersized—baggy jeans are stuffed into boots, balloon jackets are tucked into waistbands, the bigger is the better for Parisians who are adopting this easy outfit combo for a dose of off duty cool. Sorry skinnies, we’re all about roomy denim that prioritises comfort first.