Kendrick Lamar is a man in possession of many accolades. He has a Pulitzer Prize, 22 Grammy Awards (five of which he won just last week) and he just staged a slick, clever Halftime Show at the Super Bowl. All of this, however, pales in comparison with the incredible work he's done for bootcut jeans. As he took to the Super Bowl stage on Sunday evening, Lamar forced over 100 million people watching to reconsider the benefits of a bootcut.
Let me be clear – this was not a subtle bootcut jean. In fact, much debate unfolded online as to whether one should be referring to these jeans as 'bootcut' at all, given that they seem to stray into bell bottom flare territory. On first look, I admit I was shocked – these jeans were reminiscent of the perfect hip-hugging, floor-dragging silhouettes that I, and every one of my fellow teenagers, was desperate to find in 2005. Fear not, though, Lamar has unsurprisingly not been raiding the Miss Sixty archives. Instead, his jeans come courtesy of Celine – specifically, they're the Marco Jeans in Dark Union Wash denim, which will set you back an immoderate £830.
He wore his Celine jeans with a custom-made varsity jacket by British designer Martine Rose and, despite the many, many jibes at Drake throughout his set, it was this sartorial combination which truly stole the show. Of course, this wasn't accidental. Lamar has worked with stylist Taylor McNeill for years now and, as is typical of the choices McNeill tends to make, these jeans tapped into something happening more widely. For while Lamar may be one of few men championing this fit of denim (alongside Pharrell Williams, who is such a fan of bootcut jeans that he put them front and centre in his menswear collection for Louis Vuitton spring/summer 2025), it seems women have been quietly embracing it in a big way of late.
According to Net-a-Porter, customer searches for low-rise bootcut jeans increased by 700% in the last three months, while searches for Frame's bootcut jeans rose by 100% in the same time frame. While the Super Bowl may have been the biggest exposure for the bootcut this past weekend, on the same day Meghan Markle wore her own pair – by Veronica Beard – to attend the Invictus Games in Vancouver. Plus, at New York Fashion Week, which has been in full swing since 6th February, bootcut jeans dominated street style.
Meanwhile, on the high street, Gap has just launched its new collection for spring, which is dominated by bootcut styles of jeans. Sapna Brooks, head of buying for Gap UK told me: 'There is such a demand for bootcut styles – we have seen a threefold increase in our sales of Boot Cut and Flare Jeans over the last six months, as we see '90s and '00s trends coming back into fashion.' At M&S, its Eva Jeans are among its top three best-selling styles of denim, and just so happen to be a trending search enquiry on Google currently. At £25, the jeans are available in five different washes and four different lengths: extra short, petite, regular and long. For Levi's, its Wedgie Bootcut Jeans also continue to be a best-seller.
It's interesting that the bootcut renaissance is happening at a time when skinny jeans are also enjoying something of a comeback, largely fuelled by Alix Earle, the social media personality with over six million followers, who has just partnered with Frame on her own pair of body-hugging skinnies. If anything, this proves that, right now, there isn't one dominant denim trend. Rather, we can see that everything from embellished jeans to barrel legs and even 'carrot jeans' are popular now, resulting in more of an anything-goes approach to denim.
If you're yet to be convinced by bootcut jeans – and not even Lamar's Celine pair can persuade you – then leave it to Gap's Brooks to extol the virtues of this particular shape. 'Bootcuts and flares are very versatile and flattering on all body shapes, helping to lengthen the leg and give a balanced proportion to the body.'
Shop: The Best Bootcut Jeans
www.net-a-porter.com
Searches for these jeans on Net-a-Porter have increased 100% in the past three months. With a flattering high-rise fit and dark wash, they're a polished take on denim.
www.marksandspencer.com
Available in five different denim washes and four different lengths, M&S' bootcut jeans are one of its top three sellers at the moment. At just £25, they're incredibly affordable – and great quality, too.
www.levi.com
A slightly more relaxed fit of bootcut jeans, Levi's Wedgie style has become a classic for a very good reason – they're incredibly flattering (particularly, as the name may suggest, for your bottom).
www.gap.co.uk
Gap has seen an increase in demand for bootcut and flared styles of jeans recently. This pair has a really classic fit in a timeless blue wash.
www.calvinklein.co.uk
In my humble opinion, this is one of the best bootcuts available, with real '90s Calvin Klein vibes. They're selling quickly, so add to basket while you can.
veronicabeard.com
Recently worn by Meghan Markle, Veronica Beard's Beverly jeans are the bootcuts for you if you love skinny jeans. With a tighter fit on top, the slight flare will give you an elongating effect – this pair is best with heeled boots.
www2.hm.com
Available in four different washes, this is one of the most affordable bootcut styles on the high street, at just £14.99.
Hannah Banks-Walker is Grazia's head of fashion commerce. She has previously written for the likes of Harper's Bazaar, The Financial Times, Glamour, Stylist, The Telegraph, Red, i-D and The Pool on everything from fashion to curly hair (hi!) to the patriarchy. Not necessarily in that order. Find her on Instagram and Twitter. But please don't look for her MySpace profile, which until now was the last time she wrote about herself in the third person.