Months after Haider Ackermann’s third show for the Paris-based label, the killer denim from the AW26 collection continues to come back to me like hot flashes – and it’s made me spiral into the faded jean epidemic.
Sure, Fashion Week season, as a fashion writer, can be a lot. But every now and then, there’s that one show that reminds you why you fell in love with the job in the first place. And ever since Autumn/Winter 2026, I’ve been struck with a severe case of Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford fever. It was probably my personal standout show of the AW26 season and, to my surprise, there wasn’t a single look I disliked. From the slutty suiting and Patrick Bateman-alluding trenches to slanted-waist trousers and the punk-ish, contrast collar shirting, everything about it was so perfectly flattering that it felt dangerously seductive. And the entirety of the Man About Town office agrees. But in the midst of all the greatness was a simple item that’s been comfortably living in the back of my mind ever since it first met my eyes: that pair of glorious jeans.
Is it a bit nerdy for me to obsess over a singular pair of jeans for almost three months? Yes. But do I also think it’s warranted? Absolutely. Let me explain.
The wash hooked me the second it appeared on a very dandy, middle-aged model – with Ackermann at the helm, I guess it takes one to know one – gliding down the runway in a scrunched-sleeve black turtleneck, pointed-toe patent leather boots and a croc leather bag. This is the type of denim-wearing man I strive to be in a couple of decades. There was something almost hypnotic about the detailing: the whiskering on the upper thigh, the knee stretch marks that continue onto the honeycombing on the rear end, the centre crease line that almost mimics the look of a pleat, the faded belt loop and pocket seams.
It’s a formula that very clearly works, proved by Denim Dudes’ Owner and Founder Amy Leverton’s criteria for great distressing. “The perfect fade includes great whiskering, a laundered, orange-peel effect (a term referring to the 3-D look high-lows in the wash-down created by the fibre character, mostly achieved in pre-2000s denim, though mills are very good at replicating this look today) and any other detail that gives the jeans individual appeal,” she says, “such as staining, dirty tints and abrasion.”
What many contemporary brands fail to grasp (or even ignore) with their worn-look denim is that fades won’t look natural unless they correspond with the fit of the jeans. The fades on raw denim that so many people are after come from the creasing of the fabric on high-stress areas like the knees (the back of them, too), thighs and pockets. Without a proper, close-to-the-body fit in these places, you won’t get the level of creasing you need to achieve the desired fades. So if you’ve subconsciously thought that excessive fading looked awkward on a pair of super baggy jeans, there’s your answer.
That’s what Ackermann has nailed with these Tom Ford jeans, with an exquisite straight-leg fit that hugs the body in all the right places that would warrant those fades, and an extremely high rise that instantly made my mind race to a pair of Husbands Paris jeans. Leverton even exclusively commented on the denim post-show, appreciating “the combination of the sharp silhouette and tuxedo-coded high waist juxtaposing with the unique, matte, dark indigo, Y2K-inspired spray wash.”
It’s no surprise that these bottoms were repeatedly featured in the show, both on men and women, despite the French-Colombian designer never having dipped his toes in denim for Tom Ford before. It perfectly encapsulated the pair’s versatility, being styled oversized and cuffed at the hem (selvedge ID visible, of course) with a cropped, salt and pepper blazer and heeled sandals on stylist and model Jana Kapounova for look 46. Or simply worn high-waisted and uncuffed with a t-shirt, knit vest and a perfect break on the boots in look 52.
As rent-free as these jeans have lived in my head, another constant reminder of them funnily came in the form of Instagram ads. With Swedish label Namacheko pushing its Spring/Summer 2026 drop, a pair of particularly great denim was being heavily advertised. Reminiscent of the Tom Ford ones, the Warkworth Jeans felt like a persistent nudge. They featured similar fade patterns and a straight cut with a few differences, including a lighter wash, small rips throughout and patchwork details.
These aforementioned pairs seemed to stick with me because, as a master doomscroller of second-hand marketplaces and online boutiques, I’m seldom moved by contemporary recreations of true vintage-inspired washes and distressing. “Natural fades have more depth and irregularity, while artificial ones feel flatter. It’s difficult to truly replicate time. A lot of brands get close visually, but it can still feel a bit forced,” says Ian Jeffrey, Founder of New York-based vintage studio and archive Dusted.
But all hope is not lost. Much like Tom Ford and Namacheko, brands are starting to get better at achieving vintage washes. Jeffrey cites Kapital and Maison Margiela as great hallmarks and says, “It’s better when [designers] focus less on copying a specific fade pattern and more on understanding how denim actually ages – respecting traditional processes, slower production, better fabrics and more restraint in the wash.” Vini Chenoweth-Bell, Aaron Esh’s Design Director, shares similar sentiments: “The best examples manage to reference the past while still feeling contemporary. Brands that reference vintage that I really enjoy are Blackhorse Lane, RRL and Tom Ford.” Leverton also adds some names into the mix, such as Our Legacy, Celine and Nudie.
By pivoting and building on referenced vintage washes, this innovation becomes an art form in itself. Designers have started to understand that, sometimes, trying to replicate and reproduce the natural wear and tear that comes from years and years of constant battering can fall short in authenticity. Building on these past ideas to create something completely new is something that even a denim purist like Leverton is here for. “As someone who’s worked behind the scenes in the denim industry for 20 years, I get great satisfaction seeing a perfectly laundered new jean because I know the expertise and time required to achieve that look,” she says. “I want the average denim consumer to understand that this work, while more automated than before, is still primarily executed by real, very skilled human hands.” She makes sure to shout out Acne Studios, Diesel and Mihara Yasuhiro, saying, “[they] go the extra mile and create washes that genuinely inspire me.”
“I think about the Hells Angels never washing their denim cuts and earning every stain, rip and tear, each mark a permanent marker of a moment,” Chenoweth-Bell tells me. “The best pairs feel like they’ve already lived a full life before you put them on”. Jeffrey echoes, “every mark, fade, and repair comes from real use. It made me appreciate pieces that carry that kind of history.”
That innate quality, aesthetic and attitude injected into a garment makes it feel unique and one-of-one in a landscape of oversaturation and the ever-contradicting search for personal style. “[Distressed vintage jeans] have hit peak ‘ragebait’ levels over the last few months. I think the fascination stems from various sources: the explosion of the vintage market, the drive for individualism and personal expression and the breakdown of rules regarding vintage items,” says Leverton, as per her analysis. “Gen Z is more open to perceived value; that is, beauty (and price) is in the eye of the beholder – also… Demna for Balenciaga.”
These jeans become a vehicle to lean into that rugged subgenre of style that complements ragged military wear and ripped, single-stitch tees. Or, equally, it finds balance through high-low styling with cleaner items like button-ups and blazers (thanks again, Mr Ackermann). “The key is letting the denim be the anchor rather than overcomplicating the rest,” says Jeffrey on his tips for wearing thrashed, vintage denim.
“As a designer, I get the appeal, wash and distressing can build a story and world that someone else can step into,” says Chenoweth-Bell. And although many brands might miss the mark by being too fixated on trying to recreate their vintage references, there’s still a swarm of designers out there who know what they’re doing, adding something new to the conversation. So a big thank you to Tom Ford and Haider Ackermann for reigniting my obsession with tastefully executed vintage denim and giving me an excuse to nerd out over jeans.
