Fashion is in a body-conscious era. As weight loss drug use skyrockets and shapewear sales rise, brands are developing denim garments that cater to consumers who prioritize a flattering fit.
“Innovation is part of what is fueling denim’s strength right now, and I think we are just at the beginning of fit solutions as a category,” said Kristen Classi-Zummo, apparel industry advisor at Circana. “The accelerating adoption of GLP-1 medications is something the denim industry should be paying close attention to. As more consumers experience body transformation, they will be actively seeking fit solutions, and denim is well positioned to meet that demand.”
Back in 2014, Spanx translated its shapewear technology into a new category, introducing denim with fit solutions. Last year, the brand expanded its range with SpanxSculpt ReDefine, which uses Lycra’s FitSense technology for targeted shaping. This marked Spanx’s first line featuring some traditional denim elements like five functional pockets, a fly and numerical sizing.
“We stay close to our core customer in as many ways as we can, and we definitely heard…that the shaping and sculpting effects were relevant to her not just in shapewear but in her everyday apparel as well,” said Caitlin McCarthy, vice president of merchandising at Spanx. “With denim being her go-to bottom of choice, we believe that we are one of the only brands that can deliver this level of sculpt while still being wearable and comfortable for her busy life, so we knew it was the right move for us.”
Spanx
Spanx is designing denim that reflects current trends. McCarthy noted that there is diversity in demand from casual to dressy styles, and some of the popular picks over the last year have been a barrel jean and a ‘90s straight leg. “As the trend in leg shape has gotten wider, we’ve seen an uptick in the demand for flattering wide styles as well as overall comfort and shaping without rigidity that has really increased the consumer adoption of shaping styles,” she said.
Fellow shapewear brand Shapellx entered the jeans market in early 2026 with its Bare Essence AirSlim Denim Collection. The product design for the pull-on skinny and flare denim sought to tackle frequent fit issues women have with jeans—such as waist gaps and hip dips—with waist-smoothing paneling and padding and contour seaming to lift and round wearers’ hips.
“The goal wasn’t to make denim feel like shapewear, but to make it easier for women to get a little extra shaping and curve enhancement from something they already wear every day,” said Shane Shi, vice president and brand spokesperson at Shapellx. “It’s about creating jeans that look natural, feel comfortable and quietly boost confidence at the same time.”
Shapellx
PVaz
Three years after it first got into the denim game, activewear brand Halara introduced its first shaping jean in 2025 with a high-waisted tummy control straight-leg style. Listening to consumer reviews and feedback through its Halara Circle community and seeing the strong sales for its non-denim tummy control leggings, the brand identified demand for more midsection support. “Many customers mentioned that traditional jeans can draw attention to the lower abdomen, affecting their confidence level,” said Cya Zhang, partner and head of global brand and growth marketing at Halara. “This signaled to us a clear need for shaping features that support them subtly and comfortably.”
Half a year in the making, Halara’s Flex Denim fabric was designed to look like denim while offering activewear-like flexibility, leveraging the brand’s knowledge of stretch materials. Shaping panels were added to the waistband to offer “targeted support” that is designed to be comfortable rather than extremely compressive. Looking ahead, Halara plans to expand its shaping denim into more silhouettes, lengths and designs, and it is also considering shaping solutions for the hips.
Halara
Denim brands have also gotten in on the action, with brands like Levi Strauss & Co. and Good American among the labels to create jeans with solutions like shaping panels and compression.
NYDJ focuses on creating flattering denim that works with women’s bodies, and shaping is a key part of this. The brand’s Lift Tuck technology builds shaping into the construction of the garment with a proprietary crisscross design slimming panel. NYDJ has seen demand for denim that has shaping with improved stretch that helps jeans keep their shape, and customers continue to scoop up the brand’s classic leg shapes like the Marilyn Straight, Barbara Bootcut and Sheri Slim.
“Demand for shaping denim has always been strong, but expectations have evolved,” said Laura Burbano, senior director of brand marketing at NYDJ. “Women still want the style and support that make a pair of jeans truly flattering, but today they also expect comfort, stretch and all-day wear built in.”
Instead of paneling or padding, YMI Jeanswear’s WannaBettaButt line relies on curved seams to create a lifted look for wearers’ derrieres. Originally introduced in 2012, the concept was a bestseller between 2014 and 2019 while skinny jeans were still on trend. Some YMI customers remain loyal to the WBB line, and the company’s president and CEO David Vered expects an uptick in shaping denim when skinnies become popular again.
“Fashion is a cycle, and what was important few years ago is less important right this second. But not to say that it’s not going to come back,” he said. “Shaping jeans are always going to be a part of the business, but there will be times where they’re more important.”
For a portion of the population, figure flattering denim will always be a desire, and brands are delivering.
“One of the biggest misconceptions about shaping denim is that it’s about changing your body,” said Laura Burbano, senior director of brand marketing at NYDJ. “For us, it’s really about supporting it. Women’s bodies evolve throughout life, and great denim should evolve with them.”
