Collection: Trousers

Discover our carefully curated selection of vintage trousers: wide-leg tailored trousers, precise slim cuts, draped fluid styles, archive avant-garde pieces and rare collector trousers from the world's most celebrated houses. Every piece is hand-evaluated by our team on avenue Louise and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Because the right pair of trousers is not simply the bottom half of an outfit — it is the architectural foundation of the entire silhouette.

Trousers in fashion history: from masculine territory to feminine liberation

The trouser's history in women's fashion is inseparable from the broader story of female emancipation — each designer who placed a woman in trousers at a significant historical moment made a statement that extended well beyond the garment itself. Coco Chanel's wide-legged beach pyjamas of the 1920s were among the first luxury trousers designed for women. Marlene Dietrich's tailored masculine trousers of the 1930s were scandalous enough to result in her being banned from entering France. And Yves Saint Laurent's 1966 Le Smoking — the tuxedo trouser suit that began a liberation that has never been reversed — remains the single most significant garment in the history of women's trousers.

In menswear, the trouser's evolution from the rigid formality of the Victorian frock coat suit to the extraordinary range of contemporary possibilities — from the precisely tapered Raf Simons silhouette to the dramatically wide-leg Dries Van Noten cut, from the utilitarian draped trouser of Lemaire to the architectural construction of Rick Owens — demonstrates an equally rich design history. Today, the great vintage trouser — in exceptional wool, cashmere, silk or technical fabric, cut with the precision that only the finest designers achieve — represents one of the most versatile and enduring investments available on the secondhand market.

Our trousers categories

Wide-leg and tailored trousers

The wide-leg trouser is one of fashion's most cyclically revisited silhouettes, and in vintage form offers access to examples that remain among the best ever produced: the dramatically proportioned trousers of Yves Saint Laurent's 1970s collections, the considered wide-leg of Lemaire and Dries Van Noten, and the architectural constructions of Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons in wool and technical fabrics.

Slim and tailored trousers

The precisely tailored slim trouser — from the ankle-grazing silhouette of the Raf Simons-era Jil Sander collections to the classic French tailored cut — offers the foundations of a sophisticated wardrobe at its most controlled and considered.

Draped and fluid trousers

The draped trouser, falling with fluid ease from the hip, represents a distinct design philosophy from precise tailoring: cloth following the body's movement rather than imposing structure upon it. Issey Miyake's Pleats Please trousers, Rick Owens's dramatic draped constructions and Lemaire's considered wide-leg separates all belong to this category.

Avant-garde and deconstructed trousers

Margiela's reconstructed trousers, Comme des Garçons's conceptual constructions and the most dramatically proportioned pieces from the Japanese and Belgian avant-garde represent the most challenging and historically significant tier of our trouser selection.

How to evaluate vintage trousers

Evaluating vintage trousers requires attention to several combined criteria. Here are the 7 checkpoints we systematically apply at avenue Louise.

1. The label and attribution

Every pair of trousers carries a verified attribution, cross-referenced against our database for label design and era.

2. The fabric quality

Fabric quality is paramount in trousers: wool should have appropriate weight and structure for the intended silhouette; silk and crepe should drape fluidly without excessive wrinkling; technical fabrics should retain their designed structure. We assess by hand and movement.

3. The cut and proportion

Each designer's trouser reflects specific, considered proportions: the rise (high, mid or low), the leg width and taper, the break at the ankle. These proportions should be coherent with the specific house's vocabulary for the claimed era.

4. The waistband and internal construction

The waistband and internal construction of a tailored trouser reveal its quality: whether the waistband is interfaced and finished correctly, whether the internal waist curtain is properly sewn, whether any belt loops are secure and evenly spaced.

5. The stitching and finishing

Stitching should be regular throughout, with particular attention to the fly, pockets and waistband — the areas of greatest stress in use. Pocket bags should be in good condition, with no tearing at the corner reinforcement points.

6. The condition

We specifically assess seat and inner-thigh wear (the most common deterioration points in vintage trousers), the condition of the fly mechanism, any staining or alterations, and the overall fabric condition including any pilling or surface wear.

7. Design significance

We assess each pair's broader design significance and contemporary wearability within the context of current wardrobe building.

Our method: at Les Enfants d'Édouard, every pair of trousers undergoes a three-stage examination — visual inspection, technical verification and design assessment. Every authenticated piece comes with our certificate of authenticity.

Size guide for vintage trousers

Vintage trousers size conversion guide

FR/EU	IT	UK	US	Waist (cm)	Hip (cm)
34	38	6	2	60–63	84–87
36	40	8	4	64–67	88–91
38	42	10	6	68–71	92–95
40	44	12	8	72–75	96–99
42	46	14	10	76–79	100–103
44	48	16	12	80–83	104–107

Sizing notes

Trouser sizing requires particular care in vintage fashion, as waist, hip and inseam measurements are all critical and alterations — while possible for waist and hem — cannot address fundamental hip or thigh fit issues. Always check actual garment measurements, and note that vintage trousers from before 1990 frequently run smaller than their modern label equivalent.

Why invest in vintage trousers

A great pair of vintage tailored trousers — in exceptional wool or silk, cut with the precision of a major fashion house — represents one of the most practically useful and design-significant investments in the secondhand wardrobe. The wide-leg tailored trousers of the Yves Saint Laurent 1970s archive, the precisely proportioned trousers of the Raf Simons Jil Sander era, and the considered fluid cuts of Lemaire and Dries Van Noten all offer access to levels of fabric and construction quality that are increasingly rare in current production.

For those wishing to sell vintage trousers, we offer an expert consignment service.

Our trousers selection in Brussels, avenue Louise

Our boutique Les Enfants d'Édouard, 175 avenue Louise, 1050 Brussels, carries a curated selection of vintage trousers, sourced from European collectors and private consignors. We welcome you Tuesday to Saturday and offer private appointments outside regular opening hours.

Care and maintenance of vintage trousers

For tailored wool trousers, dry clean at a specialist. Hang on trouser hangers (clamping at the hem) to maintain the crease and prevent distortion. Press with a steam iron and pressing cloth when required.

For silk and crepe trousers, dry clean or hand wash gently in cold water. Hang to dry away from direct sunlight. Iron on a low setting on the reverse of the fabric.

For technical and synthetic fabric trousers, follow the specific care label instructions, as technical fabric care requirements vary significantly by material type.

Frequently asked questions about vintage trousers

Which vintage trousers are most sought-after?

Wide-leg tailored trousers from Yves Saint Laurent's 1970s collections, the precisely proportioned trousers of the Raf Simons Jil Sander era, Lemaire wide-leg separates, Dries Van Noten printed and tailored trousers, draped Issey Miyake Pleats Please styles, and avant-garde constructions from Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons.

Can vintage trousers be altered?

Yes — hemming, taking in or letting out the waist, and adjusting the seat are all standard trouser alterations that a skilled tailor can perform on vintage pieces. Hip and thigh width are more complex to alter and should be assessed by a specialist before purchase if they are the critical fit dimension.

What warranty do you offer on vintage trousers?

Every piece sold by Les Enfants d'Édouard is guaranteed as described, with a certificate of authenticity for signed pieces and 14 days to return (return shipping costs excluded).

Discover also

Looking for vintage trousers?

Browse our full trousers selection or book an appointment with our team for a private viewing on avenue Louise.

• ✓ Guaranteed authentication: every piece verified
• ✓ Secure delivery: Belgium, France, Europe
• ✓ 14-day returns: satisfaction guaranteed
• ✓ Boutique at 175 Avenue Louise: 1050 Brussels