What is the bumster, these devastating pants that are making an unexpected comeback on the Fashion Week catwalks?

A signature of the Alexander McQueen wardrobe in the 1990s, the bumster which highlights the cleavage of the buttocks is reborn at Fashion Week under the impetus of designers.

From time to time, the shows remind us that fashion is not always to be taken seriously. A spirit that some houses have adopted during the last Fashion Weeks by reintroducing the bumster , these iconic pants that enhance the buttocks. Far from the standards of classic jeans, this daring piece is in line with the transgressive creations of Alexander McQueen . In the 90s, the British designer imagined these (very) low-waisted pants, inspired by the famous “plumber’s smile”. According to him, the small of the back was “the most erotic part of the human body”. With his bumster, he pushes the boundaries of provocation even further: low-waisted at the back, but also at the front, with models revealing the birth of the pubis. As sulphurous as they are, these pants have found their audience. Celebrities like Julia Fox, Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry have recently tried it, and designers are bringing it back to life on the 2025 catwalks, confirming the strong comeback of the (very) low waist.

The bumster, like a phoenix, rises from its ashes

The Y2K wave is not over yet and continues to reinvent the codes of an era when fashion dared everything. In 2025, the bumster, the ultra-low-waisted pants that were emblematic of the 90s and 2000s, is back. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Dsquared2 offered a festive show-show where models danced, wearing revealing bumsters. Diesel also took over this sultry piece in its fall-winter 2025-2026 collection, with three jeans models subtly revealing the birth of the buttocks as a finale. The Alexander McQueen house is reconnecting with its past by resurrecting the bumster in denim and blazer form for its spring-summer 2023 collection.

While the bumster remains a difficult piece to adopt on a daily basis, its return to the catwalks is a testament to its influence on the history of fashion. It is also accompanied by other equally sexy trends inspired by the 2000s: the tattoo on the small of the back, now highlighted by low-rise jeans, or the visible thong , which has made a notable comeback in recent months. A time when fashion celebrated the freedom of the body, without restraint.