Skinny jeans making a comeback? Not yet — semi-flare is leading the way

The global fashion industry may be signaling a skinny jeans revival, but South Korean shoppers appear to be in no hurry to follow. Consumers here are gravitating instead toward flare pants and semi-bootcut styles that hug the thighs and knees while leaving the rest of the leg to breathe.

According to industry sources Tuesday, American fashion magazines Vogue and W cited the 2026 fall/winter collections of luxury brands including Valentino, Gucci, Dior Homme and Balenciaga last month, predicting that skinny jeans would soon be back in style.

South Korean shoppers, however, are steering clear of the body-hugging discomfort of skinny pants and turning to other silhouettes. According to LF Mall, searches for "flare pants" jumped 258 percent and searches for "flare jeans" rose 203 percent year-on-year during the two months from Aug. 22 to Oct. 21.

Semi-flare and semi-bootcut styles — which offer a clean fit through the thighs and knees before gradually widening from the calf to the hem — are emerging as the go-to alternative for shoppers seeking a balanced fit between skinny and wide-leg.

The trend is showing up in actual sales figures. At TNGT, LF's contemporary business-casual brand, sales of men's flare pants jumped 72 percent year-on-year from Aug. 17 to Oct. 21, covering the start of the fall/winter season. The brand's signature "Flared Wool Pants" in black sold out its initial stock within three weeks. TNGT had anticipated stronger demand for flare pants this season and doubled the number of products while expanding inventory by 225 percent — yet supply has still struggled to keep pace.

The same pattern holds in womenswear. Sales of denim and corduroy bootcut pants from French contemporary brand Vanessa Bruno nearly doubled compared with the previous fall/winter season. The "Brown Corduroy Bootcut Pants" in particular sold through roughly half its stock within days of its August launch.

Premium contemporary casual brand Hazzys Women posted a 90 percent year-on-year surge in bootcut pants sales from Aug. 17 to Oct. 20, with monthly growth accelerating throughout the period. The brand increased its bootcut pants inventory by 60 percent for the season. Its sub-line, Heath Hazzys Women, also introduced a "Black Semi-Bootcut Velvet Rib Jersey Pants" style.

"In the pants market recently, rather than one trending fit dominating, we're seeing a range of silhouettes — semi-flare, bootcut and others — coexist based on customer preference," an LF official said. "Going forward, we will continue to offer differentiated fits and designs tailored to each brand's customer profile and concept, and expand the range of choices so consumers can find pants that match their own style."