The Glossy Podcast — "The New Rules of Denim"

Date: October 31, 2025
Host: Danny Parisi (Senior Fashion Reporter, Glossy)
Guests: Zofia Zviglinska (International Reporter) and Jill Manoff (Editor-in-Chief)

Episode Overview

This episode of The Glossy Podcast delivers an incisive look at the rapidly evolving denim market, drawing connections between shifting consumer trends, denim’s generational divide, economic headwinds, and the brands leading innovation. The hosts kick off with a news roundup—including analysis on Parade’s shutdown, Lululemon’s NFL collaboration, and the effects of mass layoffs—before diving deep into the new dynamics of denim alongside editor-in-chief Jill Manoff. Expect a lively breakdown of trends, customer profiles, brand categories, and the new "rules" dominating the world of jeans.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. News Segment Highlights

The Shutdown of Parade Underwear (00:38–07:17)

• Parade: Once a Gen Z favorite for its inclusivity and progressive marketing, the DTC underwear brand has shuttered after ownership changes and a perceived loss of core identity.
• Community Reaction: Fans mourned the loss but were unsurprised, given the brand’s change in tone, product quality, and values under new ownership.
• Notable Quote:
  "Everything had changed about it that they loved. And I think from that it was kind of a clear path as to kind of how the brand would do."
  — Zofia Zviglinska [03:29]
• Key insight: Influence marketing and authentic community engagement were Parade's core strength; once lost, customer loyalty eroded quickly.

Lululemon’s NFL Partnership (07:17–13:51)

• Expansion Beyond Yoga: Lululemon is now designing team apparel for all 32 NFL teams, following collaborations with the NHL and major athletes.
• Men’s Market Focus: Lululemon’s men’s business grew 15% last year, aligning with its increased presence in competitive sports.
• Brand Distribution Shift: For the first time, Lululemon is relinquishing some control over product distribution by partnering with Fanatics and the NFL Shop.
• Fashion x Sports Synergy: The NFL continues to push into fashion, inspired by the NBA’s success in this arena.
• International Comparisons: Unlike the NFL, fashion collaborations in soccer (Premier League) are club-specific due to more complex structures.

Mass Layoffs & Consumer Sentiment (13:51–22:36)

• Widespread Layoffs: Amazon (14,000 jobs), Target (1,800), Meta (600), and UPS (48,000).
• AI Replacing Jobs: Skepticism around whether AI can genuinely offset lost jobs, especially when results are still nascent.
• K-Shaped Economy:
  • Consumer confidence is at near-pandemic lows.
  • Lower-income consumers are pessimistic, while high earners remain optimistic.
• Notable Quote:
  "People with less money have a dim view of the economy. And people who are making a ton of money say it’s working great. I’m like, yeah, obviously, because it’s working for them."
  — Danny Parisi [17:05–19:32]
• Fashion Impact: Younger and DTC brands like Parade are most vulnerable as discretionary spending contracts—posing broader risks for the industry.

2. Deep Dive: The New Rules of Denim (23:45–60:06)

A. The State & Trends of Denim

• Denim's "Horizontal Expansion": Denim is more diverse in fit, style, and customer than ever. Skinny jeans are outpaced by wide, barrel, and flared styles, but all coexist.
• Multi-Style Shopping: Consumers now buy and wear multiple fits; within a single closet, one may find skinny, wide, high-rise, low-rise, and embellished pairs.
  • “The same customer might have narrower jeans and wider leg jeans and low rise jeans and higher and, like, have it all and switch between them much more frequently and easily than they used to.” [26:22]
• Revival & Newness: After a post-pandemic slump, brands rapidly innovated to spark renewed interest—seen in decorative and customized denim surges.
• Brand Credibility: Heritage brands like Levi’s maintain dominance thanks to durable, recognizable product and trust.
• Trend Cycles in Denim: Denim cycles are slower than other categories; skinny and straight sell steadily even as wide-leg dominates fashion discourse.
  • "Trends are slower, but things are moving. The data shows that skinny styles are slowing or declining in sales while the wide styles are growing." — Jill Manoff [34:26–34:56]

B. Denim Consumer Profiles (34:56–44:53)

• Gen Z & Gen Alpha:

  • Drive trend adoption, blending comfort and nostalgia (Y2K influence, thrifting, custom pieces).
  • Cultural icons: Olivia Rodrigo.
  • Brand revivals: Abercrombie, American Eagle, True Religion.
  • “The younger shopper maybe has less purchasing power and less money, but it has a lot of like cultural power. People are influenced by like 16-year-olds on TikTok.” — Danny Parisi [36:42]

• 30–40s Elevated, Minimalist Buyers:

  • Prioritize fit, comfort, and investment in premium denim (Frame, Khaite, La Jeune, A Golde).
  • Value sustainability stories, Japanese fabrication.
  • Reference figure: Gwyneth Paltrow.

• Plus/Extended Sizing:

  • Require true inclusivity and are fiercely brand loyal when accommodated.
  • Good American and Madewell highlighted for successful plus ranges.
    • “Multiple said Good American, which we know that they do a great job with inclusive sizing. And some specifically called out Khloe Kardashian as being their denim icon.” — Jill Manoff [41:48]
  • Ozempic and shifting sizing affect try-on rates and style experimentation.

• Business Professional/Workwear:

  • Seek clean, polished denim for work—recommendations include Aritzia, Favorite Daughter, Banana Republic, and J.Crew.
  • Emphasis on versatility and the right denim for “dressing up” in office settings.

• Denim Connoisseurs/Vintage, Selvage, Japanese:

  • Enthusiasts (often men) obsess over fabrication, selvage, and rare Japanese brands.
  • Pop culture boost: The Bear’s depiction of high-end denim.
  • Tariff increases threaten niche importers/retailers.

C. Standout Denim Brands: Past and Present (44:53–55:46)

• OGs/Heritage: Levi’s (iconic, up 7% in sales), Wrangler, Ralph Lauren, Gap/Old Navy.
• Y2K/Era Mall Brands Resurgence: Abercrombie, American Eagle, True Religion (massive recent campaigns; close sports ties; Gen Z resurgence).
  • “Abercrombie is an official partner of the NFL. True Religion is working with NBA players all the time. These brands are also pretty in touch with sports, which is obviously huge in fashion right now.” — Danny Parisi [49:37]
• 2010s DTC & Contemporary: Madewell, Reformation, Everlane (sustainability leaders), Uniqlo, Buck Mason. Notably, many DTCs outside of denim (e.g., Allbirds) have struggled in the post-pandemic era.
• Japanese/Vintage/Salvage: APC, Nudie, Japanese mill-based brands—loved by “denimheads,” but facing import and cost challenges due to tariffs.
• Luxury/Designer: Khaite, YSL, Frame—tie in “quiet luxury” trends with subtle branding (Levi’s red tab, Khaite black button).

D. The "New Rules" and Where Denim is Headed (55:46–60:06)

• Style Pluralism Reigns: All fits "in" at once; unique embellishments and customization encouraged (shredded, rhinestoned, patchwork rising).
• Craftsmanship Matters: Fabric, construction, and brand heritage increasingly important—consumers more educated and demanding on these fronts.
• Styling is Personal: Old style “rules” (e.g., “baggy top/tight bottom” only) are out; new debates focus on footwear and layering.
  • “There are rules, but it is personal style. It’s a number one. We know Gen Z champions that, prioritizes that, and doesn’t want to look like everyone else.” — Jill Manoff [58:28]
• Cross-Generational Influence: Teenagers on TikTok can influence how 40+ consumers approach denim, signifying a breakdown of age-based silos in trend adoption and brand marketing.
• Globalization & Risk: Brands are watching international style cues (like K-pop) and navigating geopolitics (tariffs, LA manufacturing changes).
• Marketing Evolution: Brands are testing new platforms and demographic mixes; star athlete and celebrity capsule collections proliferate.

Notable Quotes & Key Timestamps

• On Parade's Downfall:
  "I think the biggest obviously shock is the fact that this was a very loved brand by customers...I think people liked Parade's tone, the design language and a lot of that kind of changed under the new ownership."
  — Zofia Zviglinska [03:29]

• On Lululemon's NFL Move & Brand Evolution:
  "It's interesting to see Lulu pushing past yoga. They're leaning really hard into other sports...not just yoga, which was obviously their thing for a long time."
  — Danny Parisi [08:19]

• On Economic Sentiment:
  "It's a K-shaped consumer sentiment economy. Confidence is declining among consumers making an annual income less than $75,000. But consumers earning more than $200,000 a year are more upbeat...people with less money are sad and people with more money are happy."
  — Danny Parisi [17:05–19:32]

• On Denim Diversification:
  "There's so much diversification in terms of the amount of styles out there. I don't think there's ever been another time in fashion or in the denim space when everyone's going for different things."
  — Zofia Zviglinska [25:21]

• On Brand Loyalty & Fit:
  "Nobody wants to be trying on denim. It’s like the swimsuit category, the hardest to find something that fits you like a glove. So I just think going back again and again just makes sense."
  — Jill Manoff [47:13]

Memorable Moments

• The Bear’s Menswear Moment:
  References to the TV show The Bear using authentic Japanese raw denim sparked wider male interest in enthusiast categories [54:06].
• Denim Marketing Wars:
  Brands like True Religion/Abercrombie not only launching WAGs (wives and girlfriends) campaigns but also spending big on star-studded partnerships [49:37, 50:04].
• Denim Styling as Self-Expression:
  Gen Z’s prioritization of personal style over rules, and industry focus shifting toward unique-to-individual customization [58:28–59:11].

Suggested Listening Guide

• Parade’s closure & brand lessons: [00:38–07:17]
• Lululemon & NFL/Fashion x Sports: [07:17–13:51]
• Layoffs, Consumer Confidence, Fashion Fallout: [13:51–22:36]
• Deep Dive—New Rules of Denim: [23:45–60:06]
  • Trends, customer profiles, brands, conclusions: [25:21–60:06]

Final Takeaway

The world of denim is not only booming but also fragmenting—with fits, fabrications, and consumer types more varied than ever. Brand trust, inclusivity, and the culture of customization define the new era. As economic uncertainty persists, denim’s broad appeal and adaptability make it a rare anchor in a volatile fashion landscape.