If anyone was going to attend a dinner dedicated entirely to the Californian outdoor brand North Face, it was going to be its unofficial ambassador Emily Ratajkowski. Aside from being a model and actor, EmRata has become known for being a certified streetwear head, from all the deep-cut trainers she wears on dog walks to the sort of puffer jacket collection usually reserved for teenage boys with a monthly allowance and a whole morning to queue.
This time though, it wasn’t her jacket which had us paying attention—which is weird because it’s so red that it physically could not get any redder. No, it was her jeans—baggy low-rise in a dark-wash denim, paired with some classic pointy black boots. Clearly, EmRata got the memo about inky-blue denim being the trending jean for spring.
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
Lighter washes have been on the outs for a while now. Or, to be more specific, what British Vogue’s fashion news editor Daniel Rodgers refers to as “the sagging, pallid jeans that have metastasised the out-out wardrobe.” (Yes, there are people wearing baby-blue jeans to the club). Darker denim, however, especially the sturdy selvedge type, can sort of elevate and casualize an outfit at exactly the same time, making them an ideal wardrobe staple for after hours.
Essentially, EmRata is wearing dark-wash jeans exactly as the style gods intended for 2025. “Deep indigo washes, especially those rendered in rigid fabrics, can bring a sense of polish to the otherwise casual staple,” wrote British Vogue’s Alice Cary towards the end of last year. “Endorsers have taken to wearing dark denim jeans with simple foundational pieces like white shirts and tanks, as well as statement tops and bold knitwear. There are very few things that wouldn’t look good with a pair of inky-blue jeans.” And Emily Ratajkowski sure knows it.
