The first official day of summer is just around the corner, but denim brands have been preparing for months with new fabrications and fits engineered to feel cool and comfortable all season long.
“With denim at the core of every collection, summer is always a unique design journey for us. We experiment with new silhouettes in linens, twills and cotton gauze that pair back to our core denim styles,” said Sarah Ahmed, DL1961 CEO and founder.
Lessons were learned during last summer’s record-breaking heat. Ahmed said the New York City-based brand noticed a need for an extremely lightweight, versatile denim-like fabric.
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DL1961 came back with DL Aura, an innovative cotton and lyocell blend that provides lightweight comfort while maintaining the appeal of traditional cotton denim. DL Aura is made with 69 percent cotton certified by the Better Cotton Institute (BCI) and Cotton USA, and 31 percent Tencel lyocell, which Ahmed said gives denim garments an ultra-soft, breathable feel that’s perfect for warm weather.
The fabric is used in the brand’s new Ilana Dress, a light wash sleeve maxi dress; Montauk Romper, a short sleeve style with relaxed short fit and button front closure; the Taylor Relaxed Barrel jeans; and the Isabel Wide Leg Mid jean.
“Denim is a versatile fabric and can easily be styled up or down for summer depending on the style and wash,” said Laura Burbano, NYDJ’s director of marketing.
NYDJ’s Cool Embrace Denim fabric made with The Lycra Company’s Coolmax technology is designed specifically to keep the wearer cool on warm weather with breathable, temperature-regulating materials. The brand also offers lightweight 100 percent cotton fabrications and Tencel fabrications in relaxed silhouettes.
Last summer, 7 For All Mankind started testing lightweight denim and indigo linen blends to explore more breathable, comfortable options for warm weather.
“The strong response confirmed that our customers are looking for pieces that blend ease with polish, so this season, we’ve expanded that story with even more focus on breathability, comfort and effortless style with our Weightless Denim and Indigo Linen collections,” said Heajun Park, 7 For All Mankind’s global head of design, womenswear.
The Los Angeles-based brand focused on using fabrics that provide both structure and airflow, without sacrificing the feel or look of denim. The Weightless Denim collection is made up of 9.5 oz. cotton and Tencel blended fabric that Park said is “light enough for summer, substantial enough for year-round wear.” The Tencel adds effortless fluidity, allowing the fabric to move with the body.
“It’s incredibly soft, silky to the touch, and has a beautiful drape that flatters the silhouette,” she added.
7 For All Mankind’s Indigo Linen collection stands out for its breathability and airy feeling. Made from European linen sourced from France, it combines the natural charm of linen with the timeless appeal of indigo. The fabrics are versatile enough to look polished when washed clean or more relaxed with vintage washes.
“Both fabrics work across pants, shirts, and dresses, making them ideal for summer dressing,” Park said.
Linen is key to enhancing the lightness of Levi’s new collection. The San Francisco-based brand introduced the Linen + Denim collection earlier this year.
The combination of linen and cotton in a lighter weight denim construction is the brand’s blueprint for the perfect summer jean this year.
“We introduced the Linen + Denim collection for Spring/Summer 2025 to offer a cooler, more breathable option for warmer weather while keeping denim in the summer rotation. It was a natural evolution for the brand to combine its classic denim styles with a fabric long associated with summer comfort,” said Janine Chilton-Faust, Levi’s global VP of men’s design and Jill Guenza, Levi’s global VP of women’s design.
Made with up to 18 percent linen, the fabrics provide enhanced breathability and softness, specifically tailored for warm weather dressing. Styles span women’s carpenter shorts, shrunken ’90s jacket and XL Baggy Straight to men’s 505 Regular fit jeans and Trucker jackets
The collection builds on the narrative Levi’s began last summer with the global launch of Performance Cool, a line of jeans made with cooling and moisture wicking technology, and the addition of featherweight jeans made with 10 oz. denim.
Additionally, the Linen + Denim line complements other styles made with linen blends like the women’s XL Baggy straight pant and matching shrunken vest—both made with 55 percent linen and 45 percent Ecovero.
Fit finesse
“This summer is all about comfort and ease,” Park said. “We’re seeing a strong movement toward wider leg fits—both for men and women.
The silhouettes not only offer more airflow, which is great in the heat, but they also enhance the drapey quality of our summer-weight fabrics. Park said the looser fits help the garments fall away from the body, creating a cooler, more breathable wearing experience without compromising style.
“Looser and more relaxed styles help make denim more wearable during summer,” Chilton-Faust told SJ Denim.
For men, Levi’s focused on fits that have a “looser attitude and comfort” for summer, including the 568 Loose, 468 Loose Short and the 555 Relaxed. For women, the brand offers the XL Straight, Baggy Dad jean, High Rise Baggy shorts, and lightweight Baggy Carpenter—all designed with relaxed silhouettes that offer greater airflow and ease.
Jennifer McCollum, NYDJ’s denim designer, said the brand is “seeing a huge demand for wide leg styles” this summer. NYDJ’s newest fits include the Relaxed Denim Trouser, the Coco Relaxed Wide Leg Crop and the Brodi Wide Leg Ankle Jean. All are made made with Cool Embrace Denim.
Other important fits are the Mia Palazzo, Teresa Wide Leg and the Cindi Relaxed Wide Leg with a drawcord waist.
“Summer style is all about ease and breathability—and we’re seeing women gravitate toward baggy, wide-leg, and relaxed silhouettes that feel comfortable in the heat and don’t cling to the body,” Ahmed said.
Styles like the Hepburn Wide Leg—one of DL1961’s best-selling styles—and the Miro Barrel provide a balance of comfort and trend-forward denim style. Ahmed anticipates that the new Taylor Relaxed Barrel with drawstring details is destined to become an instant wardrobe staple this summer as well.
For men, DL1961’s relaxed and straight fits continue to dominate. “Fit is everything in the summer, so your denim needs to feel airy, never restrictive, and work just as well with a tee and sandals as they do with a crisp button-down,” she said.
Legs out
Jorts are having a major moment at Levi’s. “We are redefining warm-weather essentials with playful proportions, relaxed silhouettes, and versatile styling. Jorts are the ultimate canvas for self-expression this season. Whether worn slouchy and oversized or crisp and tailored, Levi’s jorts bring an easy, confident energy to any look,” Guenza said.
With the women’s Baggy Dad Jort, Levi’s offers a “laid-back, borrowed-from-the-boys vibe.” The Mid-Thigh Short provides a “more polished, transitional fit.” Guenza said both are designed for effortless day-to-night dressing. Levi’s 478 Baggy Short leads the men’s category, while the new Baggy Capri introduces a mid-calf length inspired by DIY cut-offs.
Jean shorts are still very much in play for 7 For All Mankind but Park said the silhouette is evolving.
“This season, it’s all about longer, more relaxed shapes—think easy-fit Bermudas and subtly tailored styles. These styles feel fresh and versatile—they’re casual but can still be styled in an elevated way, especially in cleaner washes or with minimal detailing,” she said.
DL1961 is elevating shorts this summer. “This year, we’re seeing a clear shift toward slightly longer inseams—think tailored mid-length styles that hit the mid-thigh or just above the knee. It’s a more polished take on the classic cutoff, and it feels fresh and wearable for a wider range of occasions,” Ahmed said.
New for 2025 is the Taylor Short, a looser fit that hits just-above-the-knee. The style is available with and without drawstring details. The brand’s Zoie Short is a core fit and offers a more classic cut that’s tailored, minimal and versatile.
“Both styles reflect what our customer is gravitating toward right now—modern, flattering shorts that feel easy but pulled together,” Ahmed added.
NYDJ is leaning into the crop and capri trend that began to pick up momentum last summer. McCollum said the brand was inspired to add a variety of inseam lengths in ankles and crops for this season.
Additionally, NYDJ is introducing new short silhouettes like the Diana Cuffed and the High Rise Berkyn, which is shorter than the brand’s typical 7 in. and 11 in. shorts, with a flattering 11 ½ in. high rise and relaxed leg fit.
“These new silhouettes include details such as utility pockets and geo trim tapes for an added flair,” McCollum said.
The total package
Last summer, DL1961 saw its women’s customer to engage with ready-to-wear pieces outside of the core denim collection.
For Summer 2025, Ahmed said the brand is introducing new linen silhouettes that speak to the timeless designs including the maxi-length Montauk Dress, the Mabel Straight Trouser and the Neev Top, a sleeveless linen top with horn buttons. Another standout is the Halter Mini Dress made with DL Twill, which combines certified cotton with lightweight, comfort stretch technology.
“As we head into the warmer months, our customers are leaning into lighter, breathable fabrics like linen and twill as alternatives to denim,” she said.
Park said 7 For All Mankind is seeing rising interest in trouser-inspired silhouettes, especially in non-denim fabrics like cotton twills.
“These styles offer a polished, more refined take on casual wear, bridging the gap between denim and tailoring. With their soft structure and relaxed fit, they bring versatility and a fresh alternative to traditional jeans,” she said.
