Also known as “clam diggers” and “pedal pushers,” the cropped silhouette—which ends somewhere between the knee and mid-calf—was introduced by designer Sonja de Lennart in the 1940s. The pants earned the moniker “capri” after visitors to the glamorous Italian island popularized the style in the ’50s and ’60s.
No matter the name, the pants are back in fashion and available in many fabrics, styles and new twists.
Designers at Copenhagen Fashion Week showed numerous varieties in their Spring/Summer 2025 collections. Gestuz showed the versatility of black capri pants by styling the bottoms with fringe jackets and classic button-down shirts. A.Roege Collective presented ribbed knit versions. Remain kept it simple with monochromatic capri pants and tunic tops. The pants took on a sharp look in Filippa K’s and Bonnetje’s collections, complementing the brands’ tailored jackets.
However, capri pants are already gaining momentum in the market. Earlier this year, Trendalytics reported that searches for capri pants were up 21 percent compared to last year. Online retailer Boohoo found capri pants to be the 10 th most searched fashion term in New York City this year so far with 4672 monthly Google searches on average.
Gigi Hadid is seen NYC.
Meanwhile, trendsetters like Gigi Hadid and Sabrina Carpenter have put their mark on the trend. Hadid paired denim capri pants with a black tank in NYC. Carpenter paired her slim capri pants with a corset top and kitten heel mules.
In denim, the silhouette’s return to fashion has been a slow burn, first popping up in runway collections as a Y2K novelty with heavy washes, then as a nod to retro coastal style a la Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn this summer.
Earlier this year, Jordache launched a high-rise pull-on supper skinny capri in four washes.
Jordache
Frame added a pull-on capri style to its Jetset jeans collection made with super-stretch denim. The premium lifestyle brand touts the style as a “ travel essential ,” calling out its comfortable pocket- and hardware-free design.
DL1961 introduced the Bardot, a high-rise capri with a scalloped hem. The capri is constructed with the brand’s Instasculpt technology that smooths, lifts, and conforms to body without losing shape.
By borrowing many of the same terms they used to hype up skinny jeans a decade ago, denim brands are emphasizing the comfort and flexibility of capri pants.
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