Denim Jacket Guide 2025
From the Levi’s archetype to contemporary iterations by Corteiz, a comprehensive introduction to the hardwearing style.
In the Western psyche, few garments merge tradition and rebellion more than the denim jacket. Popularized by Levi Strauss & Co. in the early 20th century, the denim jacket was originally known as the Levi Blouse, quickly adopted by railroad workers and miners for its durability. Levi’s would go on to create now-legendary styles like the Type I, Type II and Type III, today cited as proto-trucker jackets. By the 1950s, the denim jacket had transcended its utilitarian origins, settling into the modern lexicon as a countercultural heavyweight worn by bikers and rock stars.
The denim jacket’s iconic status became further solidified in culture as prominent wardrobe choices in Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean and The Wild One starring Marlon Brando. Folk and rock musicians like Bob Dylan embraced its rugged, laid-back look, further cementing its place as a staple for anti-establishment artists rejecting mainstream norms.
In the following years, punk bands adopted the denim jacket as a canvas for self-expression, customizing their pieces with band patches and graffiti scrawls. Similar to jeans, many young people preferred to distress, bleach or acid-wash their denim jackets for a more individualistic sensibility.
By the ’90s, the denim jacket archetype continued to evolve as Japanese brands presented their own more experimental reimaginings. BAPE founder Nigo is a notable enthusiast of denim jackets and collects early Levi’s styles. Meanwhile, on American runways, brands like Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein showcased their classic takes on the silhouette, while in Europe, minimalists like A.P.C. designed styles using French and Japanese raw denim.
Denim Jacket Trends
As a blank canvas for creativity that evolves in lockstep with the wearer, denim jackets have undergone both subtle and overt transformations over the years. Below, an overview of recent and upcoming trends and variations.
Customization
Whether it’s patches to honor a favorite band, rhinestones or embroidery, a denim jacket is the perfect vessel for making your own. Over time, brands and designers have released their own customized versions for a vintage appeal, turning it into a category all its own.
Oversized Fits
Oversized denim jackets are designed with intentionally bigger proportions for a bold aesthetic statement. These silhouettes are sometimes exaggerated to an extreme degree, such as styles from brands like Vetements.
Game Day Denim
Personalized denim jackets adorned with NBA, NFL or college team logos, colors and mascots have become a popular go-to for sports fans. These styles generally incorporate patches, embroidery or hand-painted details.
Puffer
Denim jackets are sometimes insulated with an inner puffer or down lining for additional warmth. These styles are more voluminous than the typical trucker style.
Shearling
The sherpa-lined or shearling denim jacket features a warm faux-shearling or sherpa lining, typically in the collar or cuffs, and sometimes throughout the body.
The Best Brands for Denim Jackets
Denim jackets are a perennial staple. Nonetheless, established and emerging brands constantly release updated designs, colors and silhouettes. Below, a guide to some of the best brands for denim jackets.
Levi’s
Like Chanel with the Little Black Dress or Lacoste with the polo shirt, Levi’s is the name most synonymous with denim jackets. From the Type I through to modern technology experiments such as the Trucker Jacket With Jacquard, the heritage brand has inspired countless interpretations of its denim jacket designs.
Today, the Trucker Jacket continues to evolve with modern twists like sherpa linings, oversized fits and stretch denim, while collaborators like Denim Tears present their own socially charged prints on the classic style.
Supreme
Similar to his close friend Nigo, Supreme founder James Jebbia is an aficionado of Levi’s denim jackets and an avid collector. As a result, denim jackets are a regular presence in both the label’s spring/summer and fall/winter collections, including styles with expletive prints, patchwork elements and embroidered graphics. A denim jacket was even present in Supreme’s groundbreaking collaboration with Louis Vuitton in 2017.
Corteiz
Denim jackets may be synonymous with American style, but they have also made their way onto UK streets, worn solo in summer or as a layering piece in winter. London streetwear upstart Corteiz has released its iteration of the trucker style, complete with a signature embroidered “C” on the back.
Denim Jacket FAQ
How to tell if a denim jacket is authentic or fake?
GOAT uses machine-learning technology, digital authentication, in-hand verification or a combination of these methods to determine if denim jackets are fake or real. By doing so, we seek to ensure the denim jacket you purchase is both authentic and as described.