Traditionally, the discourse around denim has been about fit and colour, rather than finish: the pros and cons of high rises, wide legs, stonewashing and such. But recently, a number of brands have recognised denim’s capacity for artistic expression. “Denim is so interesting because it’s such a thick material that you can work on it, and you can’t work on jersey or shirting in the same way,” says Mr Sigurd Bank, founder of Danish brand mfpen. “There are all these ways in which you can mess around with it, right?”

At its AW24 show in Copenhagen last month, mfpen presented jeans featuring a perforated detailing that had been punched out by a laser. Elsewhere, both Valentino Garavani and Gucci offer blue jeans that have been Jacquard-woven with the Italian brands’ respective monograms. And in the US, CHERRY LOS ANGELES adorns pieces from its denim collection with embroidered daisies, and even illustrated horse heads reminiscent of work by the pop artist Mr Andy Warhol.

If you’re looking for an easier way into wearing more distinctive denim, consider pairs with patchworked elements that carry personality but still feel suitably classic. The Japanese brand KAPITAL, for instance, offers pairs that look like the perfect pair of lovingly re-assembled vintage jeans.

Proper ripped-knee denim hasn’t really been a thing since boy bands ruled the airwaves. But over the past few years extensive distressing has re-emerged in mainstream menswear. Pre-tattered finishing has proven a huge success for AMIRI, Balenciaga and Vetements, but even the likes of Brunello Cucinelli and The Row are getting involved. That such low-key, elegance-dedicated brands are dipping their toe in the trend is very telling.

The trend may be being driven by a growing appreciation for clothes that don’t look too new. “There’s a really big conversation around vintage and upcycling,” says Mr Olie Arnold, MR PORTER’s Style Director. “It’s the idea of things being worn-in slightly, and I think denim can be one of those things.” Proof lies in the success of Gallery Dept., a US brand specialising in upcycled denim pieces that feature heavy distressing and detailing that mimics the looks of jeans that have been worn heavily for years on end.

A less-is-more approach to distressing is what we’d advise –a few thoughtfully placed tears or faded patches are perfectly sufficient. Keep the rips small: few of us want to be confronted with the unexpected sight of a hairy knee.

Jeans – and trousers, more generally – have been widening for a few years now. But even in the world of looser fits, there’s a spectrum. At one end you have 1990s-style, straight-leg shapes, which are fast becoming the everyday default. Then in the far distance, you have vast, skater-inspired shapes that seem to erupt from the hips and cascade down to the floor. They’ve become catnip for the more sartorially adventurous. “I love to explore oversized shapes in my work,” says Parisian stylist Mr Dan Sablon. “The more fabric the better.”

At last month’s menswear shows, however, a number of brands looked to refine the trend and instil it with a little approachability. At Dries Van Noten, Junya Watanabe, Wales Bonner and LOEWE, softer, billowy denim jeans were cut with more of a swoop than a solid downfall, allowing the hems to puddle, rather than stack up on the floor. At LOEWE, they were cut with a higher rise, too, allowing for maximum elongation – as you might have seen on the legs of guests including Messrs Drew Starkey and Enzo Vogrincic.

To avoid looking like you’ve missed a trip to the tailor, though, we’d recommend starting with no more than a couple of inches of puddling. And wear heavier-soled shoes to prevent your feet from vanishing.

In January, at his first autumn/winter show for Louis Vuitton, Mr Pharrell Williams presented a menswear collection rooted firmly in the aesthetic of the American West: 10-gallon hats, spurred boots, cowhide print – the lot. The show represented the latest high-profile submission to an already bulging market for cowboy style. In fact, cattle-rustler detailing can be found in most menswear collections, from TOM FORD to KAPITAL.

We’d advise restraint here: there’s a reason why the Village People don’t make many best-dressed lists. But a nod towards the classic, rugged style of the West is certainly worth thinking about. Unsurprisingly, American brands are a great source of Americana style. The aforementioned CHERRY LOS ANGELES does a great line in distressed western shirts and straight-leg denim with chap detailing, for example.

But there’s also an unexpected crossover with Parisian indie-chic here: alongside the usual leather and slim tailoring, CELINE HOMME has found extensive space for two-tone denim shirts and roomy jeans designed to cocoon a cowboy boot, a decision that seems to be working. “The people that do the best job right now is CELINE,” Sablon says. “I love their Japanese denim. I just think it looks right.”

Despite reports to the contrary, slim and skinny fits are still hugely popular. “They’re still here,” Arnold says. “We’re just not talking about them.” He explains that for guys, fit tends to win out over trends, and we generally find our lane and stick to it. “Some people just have a physique that really suits a skinny leg,” he says.

Arnold buys his jeans from OrSlow, Séfr, The Row – sources of more trad, slim-cut shapes – but notes that there has been no better time to buy quality denim. “There’s a level of craft that’s always been there for the denim heads that’s now becoming more mainstream,” he says. “You don’t have to buy super niche brands to get good denim.”

He also recommends mfpen for its easy-going denim, though you won’t find anything super skinny in the collection. “Classic menswear, in some senses, is wide. Only in the past 15 years did it become slim,” Bank says. “And I think denim is as classic as menswear can get, right?”