Rick Owens SS26 Bolan Banana – Black

This is a garment with two states, and the customer decides which one to be in. Closed, it is a high-waisted slim jean in black cotton with five pockets and a concealed button fly, which is to say a quiet trouser. The zip runs from centre back, curves around the hip, and continues down to the hem, so it reads as a seam rather than as hardware. Open it and a flared panel unfolds out of the leg and the silhouette changes completely.

Very little clothing is built to be adjusted by the wearer, and almost none of it seriously. Convertible garments are usually a gimmick because the second state is worse than the first. Here both states are designed. Zipped, the jean has a clean line and a curved back seam that is genuinely flattering. Unzipped, it has the dramatic flare the house is known for, and it can be worn half open, which is the version most people arrive at.

The cloth is straightforward on purpose: one hundred percent cotton, no stretch, no coating, no wash effect. The construction is the entire story and the fabric is not competing with it.

We bought this because it is the piece that explains what Owens does to someone who has not understood it yet. It is not difficult to wear, it is not costume, and it holds a real idea about how a garment can behave. It is also, plainly, one jean that does two things, which is a rational argument and not one we usually get to make.

One hundred percent cotton. Made in Italy, in Black. Five pockets, concealed button fly, curved zip from centre back around the hip to the hem, opening to an inner flared leg panel. From the Spring/Summer 2026 collection.

High-waisted and slim through the leg, in a cotton with no elastane in it, which means the jean will not stretch to accommodate and should be bought to fit as it is. Rigid cotton relaxes a little through the seat and knee with wear and returns with washing. Take your usual jean size rather than sizing down.

Zipped with a flat shoe for daytime. Unzipped over a substantial boot in the evening, where the flare has something to break over. It takes a tucked knit better than an untucked one, because the whole point of the rise is that it is visible.

Wash cool and inside out and hang to dry; heat is what shortens the life of a black cotton and fades it unevenly. Keep the zip closed in the wash so the teeth do not catch the panel. Our care guidance covers the general principles.

We would point to the F/W 25 Bolan Banana Mini Skirt, which uses the same curved zip, the Bolan Bootcut Trousers, and the Bolan Banana Pants. Everything we currently hold from Rick Owens is listed together.