Men’s pants have experienced a variety of phases, from skinny fit to baggy, and the ebbs and flows of trends in tailoring, from the zoot suit look to the slim cut. Colored chinos have had their moment in the 21st century, as have printed pants. Now, men’s pants are entering a new frontier, with a literal twist.

The twisted seam was born as a trend because oversized pants had to find somewhere to go. The oversized look wasn’t enough anymore, and designers needed to get more creative if they wanted to keep people on board with the baggy look. Thus, the twisted seam was born.

When it comes to menswear, fit has always been, and still is, one of the most important things, but lately, more consumers are also thinking about construction. From the cut to the ways that make pants stand out, like even designing jeans with unfinished seams or turned inside out, construction is now a focal point for brands trying to push premium and luxury products to customers.

This trend has seen pants with seams curling around the front or back of the leg. The trend has been seen in menswear among brands such as Jacquemus, Eckhaus Latta, and Lemaire.

Don’t think the trend has just permeated into menswear either. Women’s denim has also seen a surge in pants with twisted seams. Many women’s barrel-leg jeans have seen twisted seams come into the forefront. Just like their men’s counterparts, this trend sees off-kilter seams darting down the leg and adding a level of volume to pants.

One of the reasons pants with twisted seams have managed to appeal to a broad range of consumers across menswear and womenswear is because they are more artistic in design and set themselves apart from other styles. Individualism has become a token component of style, especially among millennials and Gen Z consumers, so it’s no wonder they have flocked to pants with twisted seams. It’s an easy way to take an everyday item and make it more fashion-forward.

On top of that, given this construction technique has also been applied to more oversized pants, it also blends the Y2K nostalgia that Gen Z has adopted into much of their fashion, as well as offers a new way to appeal to millennials who may have put the oversized pants trend behind them, but see oversized pants with twisted seams as fashionable because it’s different from how they did their trend in their youth.

The trend has been creeping into wardrobes since fall 2024. While it started with luxury brands, it has trickled down to brands like COS, ME+EM, and Mango. Truth be told, there is no practical or functional purpose to the twisted seam; it is purely for aesthetics. While the twisted seam detail is solely for aesthetics and nothing else, it helps wearers make a statement that they want artistry in their clothes. It’s the politest way to tell someone, “I’m not basic when it comes to my fashion choices.”

It’s rare that a pants trend appeals across generations, but twisted seams have landed that sweet spot where millennials and younger have all approved. It might seem like just a trend for the moment, but it might stick around as a staple in pant options. Just like a martini, you can now order your pants…with a twist.