We Tried It: Two Editors Take on Celine-Inspired Balloon Pants

Pants are something of an anxiety-inducing fashion world obsession. Are they skinny? Baggy? Barrel legged or flared? Nowadays, who knows?! Despite the surfeit of cuts currently available on the market, one of the rarer and more controversial pant shapes—the balloon pant (also known as “harem” or “genie”)—just had a splashy runway co-sign during the men’s spring 2027 shows. That’s where Celine designer Michael Rider showed various iterations of voluminous pants that bloom and pool at the ankle, pairing them with slim sweaters, tailored suit jackets, blazers, and cardigans.

All of which made two previously balloon-agnostic Vogue editors think Is now the time to embrace the balloon pant? And that’s exactly what they did. Here, a conversation between them as they went where few men have gone before—into the real of the swaggy, swishy, s’wonderful world of the balloon pant.

Christian Allaire: OK, first let’s talk about the show that inspired this test-drive—the Celine spring 2027 menswear show. What did you think of the balloon pants when you first saw them?

Max Berlinger: I really try not to be the type of guy who sees something on the runway and is like, “Wow, I need that,” but the roomy harem pants were just so stop-you-in-your-tracks distinct and something I can’t recall seeing before, at least for men. They moved beautifully on the runway, and I liked how they were worn with a slim sweater—the contrast of baggy and tight looked surprisingly convincing, and got my wheels turning. I definitely walked away from the show, despite my better judgment, thinking I would definitely like to, at very least, try a pair.

CA: For me, there was so much to take in, but the pants were d an instant focal point. Michael Rider’s whole vibe at the brand is about ease and effortlessness, and the swishy balloon silhouettes feel just that way. They have structure to them yet are super easy to wear, and I feel like that’s kind of the definition of luxury these days—a hero piece that’s a no-brainer.

MB: Agreed. As my seat mate in the office, you already know I’m someone who prefers a baggier pant silhouette—I’m currently partial to a cargo pant—and I certainly want to be comfortable, so this felt like a genuinely new way to incorporate those two ideas into my wardrobe.

CA: Let’s talk about the pants we decided to test-drive for ourselves. Max, which two styles did you call in for us? How did you find them?

MB: Well, funnily, I just searched “balloon pants” online, and the first result was the Gap pair (thanks, Google!). They actually seemed perfect, so I just shot an email to our friends at the brand. I also asked our trusty Shopping team for some additional ideas, and they were the ones who suggested checking out Suzie Kondi, and those ones seemed promising too. I wanted something light (preferably cotton or linen), and that had a good amount of swing and motion when they walked.

So, Christian, how’d you get on in yours?

CA: The first pair I wore out in the world were the brown Gap trousers. I decided to wear them on a flight from New York to Paris to see if A) they pass the comfort test of a long-haul flight and B) they fit the bill of an effortless, easy-chair airport look. I paired them with a black tee and brown knit tied around my shoulders, and I—if I say so myself—felt very chic. Like a Parisian returning home to their fabulous apartment in the Marais or something. And they were comfy—so comfy that I actually fell asleep on the red eye in them, which I never do. What was your Gap review?

MB: I’ll preface this by saying that, sadly, I do not think balloon pants are going to be a thing for me. What looks fab on the runway, I have learned, is not always going to translate effortlessly into (my) real life. That image of a young chap in his little sweater and swishy, florid pants just looked … silly on me. Heartbreaking? Yes. But everything can’t work on everybody, I suppose.

That being said, the Gap ones slightly edged out the Suzie ones, mostly because they had a bit less width to them. I liked the rich chocolate brown and the lightness of them, but I still think that they sorta just added too much heft to the bottom of my leg. I don’t love the silhouette of a pant being too bottom-heavy, especially as I’m not the tallest crayon in the box. I want the visual line to point upward!

I should also mention a few things here: both these styles are technically women’s pants (not that it matters, gender is a construct, etc. etc.), but I think, because of that, they may have a shorter inseam (which is good for me, who is around a 28/29-inch inseam). Also, they have an elastic waistband with no adjustable tie to tighten, which I traditionally am not a huge fan of. Put your phone and wallet in those pockets and they could slip right off! Also, no back pockets, boo. I would maybe wear them around the house or even around my neighborhood for a dog walk, if I were feeling a bit more adventurous. They kinda feel very yoga teacher adjacent …

So you liked the Gap ones, how did you do with the others?

CA: With the Suzie Kondi pants, I wanted to lean into the black colorway and style them a little more avant-garde. I tried pairing them with a tight black Prada vest I owned, as well as a breezy black polo shirt. Again, the whole look was just a vibe. The pants are so easy to wear yet instantly inject the look with more of a deliberate statement feel. . . and yet, you’re just wearing flowy pants. It’s kind of genius.

MB: You are much bolder than I am, Christian! These had a much more exaggerated balloon shape, and for me, I just am not sure I can pull it off. It just felt like there was too much fabric at the knee, and it really threw off my silhouette. I felt like I was giving bowling pin! I like the black in terms of it being a versatile color, but I think then I just sort of look like a heavy black blob below the waist.

CA: How would you say the reactions from the general public were in the pants? Did you get any comments or looks? I myself only got feedback from my fellow Vogue colleagues, but everyone said I looked chic! That was all the approval I needed to hear.

MB: You do look good in them! You pull them off much better than me, which pains me. I would say people were cautiously optimistic, but not 100% convinced. I got a lot of “Oh that’s cute,” but I could see in their eyes they had doubts. My boyfriend said, “Well … they don’t look horrible,” which isn’t a ringing endorsement. The people at the Vogue offices were a bit more encouraging, though that makes sense.

CA: Do you think there is an argument for wearing balloon pants, versus, say, an everyday jean? Both promise an idea of easy, no-brainer dressing. But to me, the balloon trousers feel just a little more elevated and unexpected. A level-up to a basic, if you will. You can wear it with a nondescript tee and it will look 10x more intentional than just jeans-and-a-tee.

MB. I think there’s something a little exotic and bold about them. It’s definitely a statement, so I think its more for a guy who wants to be noticed or is signaling that he’s into fashion. I do wonder if Celine can push this toward the mainstream. I could see this being one of those signature pieces next spring for fashion boys or the influencer set. I can also see it making it to certain fast fashion retailers by fall looking to get those dupes in. I will definitely be monitoring the situation.

CA: So, Max, will you be wearing them in the future?

MB: I think that the big roadblock for me is that I just haven’t been able to build the right outfit yet. We got these and I ran home and tried them with a few things I had handy—a T-shirt, a light sweater, etc. And my trusty Vans. But we had a story to file and I was trying to be fast. I think if maybe I took some real time and pulled out a bunch of things from my closet and did a deep outfit triage at home, I could (maybe! hopefully!) build a good outfit or two here. I should even try our dance shoes, to really lean into the Celine of it all. I’ll probably keep these around for a bit and try to mull them over and see if I can incorporate them. I haven’t given up on them yet. Stay tuned for updates.