Exclusive

Old Navy Is Totally Changing How It Does Denim—Here’s What That Means for You

four woman posing together wearing jeans
Courtesy of Old Navy

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Before straight-leg, high-waist jeans became the It silhouette in the denim world, there were frayed shin-length kick flares, which evolved from super-slouchy, highly distressed boyfriend styles. And before all of that, there were skinny jeans. The more they snugged to your skin, the more they were desired—and in every single colorway, too. It was during this time, circa 2012—at the boom of the skinnies—when Old Navy struck gold with the launch of its Rockstars: a super-skinny cut that promised to “fit every body.” And the response was astounding.

“This was when we were coming off rigid denim and when fabric for high stretch and mobility was costly, so it was groundbreaking for a bigger brand of this scope to launch something that only the premium market had been able to cover,” says Melissa Morrin, senior director of denim at Old Navy, explaining that the Rockstar is unique for its stretchy fabric and a pattern that’s designed to move with the consumer’s body. “The Rockstar was the answer to the perfect skinny jean and feeling as comfortable as possible.”

Image may contain: Clothing, Apparel, Pants, Denim, and Jeans

Old Navy High-Waisted Rockstar 24/7 Super Skinny Jeans For Women

Image may contain: Clothing, Apparel, Pants, Denim, Jeans, Human, Person, Shoe, High Heel, and Footwear

Old Navy High-Waisted Plus-Size Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans

I remember my first pair of Rockstars seven years ago: a dark, inky shade that I wore until it was no longer wearable, which prompted me to buy two more—for something like $15 each during a sale—in siren red and cobalt blue. One of my friends always has a black pair in her closet because they’ve never let her down. Blake Lively is a fan, as is Rachel Bilson. The Rockstars are touted as game changers, and the numbers back it up: I’m told that 47,000 pairs are sold daily and 36,500-plus five-star reviews have been enthusiastically written about them.

But that proved to be just the beginning. After four years of the Rockstar’s immense success, the Old Navy team wanted to give shoppers more. They took it upon themselves to figure out how to make the Rockstar even better and they landed on a solution: to completely overhaul all of Old Navy’s denim offerings, making them over in the style of the Rockstar, which took two and a half years.

Courtesy of Old Navy

“It made sense to continue to build off Rockstar’s pattern and create a bigger menu for the consumer,” Morrin says.

The Rockstar’s most recognizable feature is how it fits up top, Morrin says. The “top block” is the upper area of a pair of pants that runs from the waistband to the crotch seam (essentially, the fit through the wearer’s hip), and it’s the Rockstar’s signature top block—and a contoured, curve-hugging waistband—that the Old Navy has applied across all of its denim starting in July, from old silhouettes like the Boyfriend Straight to new ones like Power Slim Straight, Pop Icon Skinny, and the Kicker Boot Cut.

Image may contain: Clothing, Apparel, Pants, Human, Person, Jeans, and Denim

Old Navy Mid-Rise Boyfriend Straight Jeans for Women

Image may contain: Pants, Clothing, Apparel, Human, Person, Jeans, Denim, and Female

Old Navy High-Waisted Secret-Slim Pockets Kicker Boot-Cut Plus-Size Jeans

And here’s the kicker: The Rockstar rollout not only streamlined Old Navy’s fits, but it also merged the Original and Curvy lines—two fits that previously catered to different body types—creating a Universal Fit, or a “super jeans,” in their place. In the past, a shopper would have to choose between the two in order to find her fit, and “no one wants to feel like they’re one or the other,” Morrin explains. In other words, this massive undertaking has led to a single body-inclusive denim line that spans 39 sizes.

“It took quite a bit of work: We married the fabrication with the technical points in denim; and with the contour waistband, it helps to fit better on more bodies, whether you’re curvy or not,” she says. “And the fabric’s stretch gives the movement and comfort. It’s an incredible undertaking, but it’s completely possible.”

Courtesy of Old Navy

In the end, it’s all about creating denim that can withstand the pressures of daily living; jeans that don’t lose their shape after one or two wears (and forcing you to constantly pull them up), waistbands that neither slip nor dig in; and a cohesive, familiar line so you don’t have to guess your size.

“Women just want to feel comfortable and beautiful,” Morrin says. “And that’s achieved with this one fit—it’s inclusive. It’s powerful.”