I’ve been meaning to write a piece extolling the virtues of cargo jeans for a while now. If scruffy, khaki canvas cargos or ballooning parachute pants are the TikToker catnip that – typically paired with a crop top – require rock hard abs and are often lacking in polish, then denim cargos are their effortlessly elegant and easy to wear older sister.
I’ve been utterly convinced of their power since I invested in a charcoal-coloured high-rise straight leg pair of cargo jeans from Frame a month ago which I’ve worn on rotation since; with a jumper and sneakers for the office, and heeled pointy black boots and a blazer for evening events.
But don’t listen to me. Listen to the former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama, who took to the stage alongside Ellen DeGeneres in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, wearing a wide leg pair of denim cargos from Danish label Ganni. On the promo trail for her second book, The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times, Obama – who typically wore more formal silhouettes from brands like Jason Wu and Michael Kors in her time in The Whitehouse – demonstrated that casualwear can still be powerful, as she paired the trousers with a matching Ganni jacket, loose braids, chunky silver hoops and patent burgundy point toe boots.
“I think you can safely say that this is a major career highlight for me,” Ganni co-founder and Creative Director Ditte Reffstrup tells The Standard. “It’s a massive honour to dress the former First Lady, Michelle Obama. She is such an icon and force.
“Honestly, it made me tear up a bit,” continues Reffstrup. “I love that our #GANNIgirls community includes everything from Michelle Obama and Bella Hadid to the girl next door. It’s girls in plural because everyone is truly welcome.”
Multi-pocketed utility denim was spotted all over the AW22 runways, from Isabel Marant to Balenciaga and The Attico and has been a major hit among the street style set at fashion week. “We saw a great number of brands elevating and revisiting classic denim looks,” says Tiffany Hsu, Vice President of Fashion Buying at MyTheresa. “Balenciaga is clearly bringing back some 2000’s vibes with ripped cargo baggy jeans as well as Givenchy, styled with long sleeves see-through white top.”
Holly Tenser, Buying Manager at Browns Fashion agrees: “Y2K cargo silhouettes continue to be a key trend this Autumn Winter, with denim cargos especially becoming an everyday wardrobe staple. Go all out noughties with Isabel Marant’s acid-wash offering, or for something a little more contemporary GANNI’s cargos and Still Here’s Subway offer the perfect stiff dark-wash denim. Size up for that oversized low-slung look, and if you’re brave enough, show off the logo waistband on your underwear.”
At its Y2K-inflected see-now-buy-now SS23 show in Copenhagen in August, Danish brand Gestuz styled baggy cargo jeans with shiny bikinis, bomber jackets and tight mesh tops. “We looked towards TLC, Destiny’s Child and JLO (now JAF) and visioned a modern version of it,” creative director Sanne Sehested told The Standard post-show. “It’s a younger and a more in your face addition to our brand. I love seeing how something as iconic as a pair of giant cargo pants can look so different depending on who wears them.”
And that’s the beauty of a good pair of cargo jeans, they are a wonderfully versatile wardrobe staple that can be dressed up and down. Whether light wash and minimal like those from the Frankie Shop, or acid wash and heavy on the pockets a la Attico, there’s a denim cargo to suit all tastes. And thanks to several excellent iterations on the high street, all budgets are catered for too.
Read on for my pick of the best.
Shop the look
Ganni denim Angi jeans, £215. Shop here
FRAME Black High-Waisted Straight-Leg Jeans, £310. Shop here
Isabel Marant Blue Vokayo Straight-Leg Jeans £555. Shop here
Mango caro pants, £49.99. Shop here
River Island cargo jeans, £50. Shop here
Still Here Blue Subway Wide Leg Jeans £230. Shop here
