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Which denim to choose as low-rise is making a big comeback?
Popularised in 1993 by Alexander McQueen with the bumster, low-rise denims are making a strong comeback. Bootcut, baggy, cigarette or skinny jeans… Numéro takes a closer look at the low-rise designs and cuts on trend this season.
By Louise Menard.
Published on 26 February 2026. Updated on 2 June 2026.
Low-rise jeans: The legacy of Alexander McQueen
Known as low-rise jeans, this design first appeared in the 1960s. But it wasn’t until 1993 that it was truly appreciated. For his Spring/Summer 1994 collection, a third show, soberly titled Nihilism, Alexander McQueen remained true to himself and introduced a provocative version that did not go unnoticed – the bumster. With their extremely low cut, these denims were designed to elongate the silhouette, placing an erotic gaze on the curve of the lower back in order to suggest more than they reveal.
A few years later, the British designer summed up his intention without hesitation: “I wanted to elongate the body, not just show the bum. To me, that part is the most erotic part of the body.”
Following this pivotal moment, low-rise trousers became more popular, normalized and available in less subversive versions throughout the 1990s and 2000s. They eventually became a pop standard. Today, their major comeback unfolds through various silhouettes and distinct cuts, from baggy to bootcut, skinny and straight-leg jeans. Same waistline, new trends.
The styles to embrace, between glamour and nonchalance
Bootcut jeans
Exhumé par Kendrick Lamar lors de la mi-temps du Super Bowl en février 2025, le bootcut, icône Y2K des années 2000 reconnaissable à sa coupe évasée au niveau des mollets, est encore, un an plus tard, solidement installé au cœur des tendances. Porté par Bella Hadid avec un t-shirt blanc moulant, il se choisit brut ou délavé, taille basse, et s’accompagne de sandales à talon pour une silhouette rétro. Au printemps, on le repère chez Balmain, Guess et Frame mais aussi chez Diesel.
Baggy jeans
A staple among today’s top models and it-girls, like Amelia Gray, Loli Bahia and Alex Consani, ultra low-rise baggy jeans are shaping up to be a must-have next season. Sensual, yet imbued with an inherently boyish nonchalance, this piece has already been championed by major names in the industry, such as Miu Miu and Balenciaga. This season, casualness sits very low on the hips.
Cigarette pants
More understated, the straight-leg jeans, also known as cigarette jeans, have moved effortlessly through the decades without losing their appeal. From Carolyn Bessette strolling through the streets of New York in unmistakably quiet luxury silhouettes to the looks spotted on the Dior Spring/Summer 2026 runway, at Saint Laurent, Courrèges and Wrangler. They lengthen the leg and remain, among our denim staples, the most timeless option.
Skinny jeans
Last but not least, the low-rise silhouette openly flirts with indie sleaze and Y2K codes through skinny jeans. Once adored by Kate Moss and Rihanna, the style resurfaces at Celine and Versace, adorned with rhinestones or Medusa heads, depending on the house’s signature motifs.
