I’m usually loyal to Levi’s – but these Only jeans have converted me
7.10.2026
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Pictures: Pia Seidel
Jeans are my most worn item of clothing. I guess that makes me a pro!(?) And I’m a real fan of this style from Only. Let me tell you why.
At the end of September, a message popped up in my Teams chat: «More Only items have been delivered, including the jeans.» Jeans? For a moment there, I’d completely forgotten I’ve been testing a product since the beginning of the year. After all, these jeans established themselves as a staple in my wardrobe a long time ago. Let me explain how I got here.
In January, my fashion colleague Stephanie Vinzens and I had the opportunity to visit the Only showroom with our buyer and help select a few items for the Galaxus range. This was an exciting preview, because the autumn/winter collection – which we got a chance to see – is only now officially going on sale.
So that’s how I got my hands on Only’s Fenanda belt ankle barrel jeans months ago. It means you can trust my verdict, in case you’re thinking about buying them today.
Wondered at, worn, washed, worn, washed…
I’ll deal with my negative feedback the same way you’re supposed to remove a plaster – quickly. At the end of January, the very first time I put them on, a rivet popped off my right-hand pocket. Well. It’s the showroom model, I think to myself – a sample, a prototype. So I won’t hold this against the jeans. And in fact, aside from that minor hiccup at the start, I have nothing negative to report.
On the contrary – the Fenanda belt ankle barrel jeans are made from a blend of 75 per cent organic cotton and 25 per cent recycled cotton. First pro.
Their wide, rounded barrel silhouette isn’t just laid-back and totally on trend right now, but – and this is much more important – it’s also incredibly comfortable. Even on days when squeezing into a pair of jeans is the last thing I want to do, Fenanda is my go-to. Second pro.
And even though the jeans are wonderfully baggy, their ankle-length design keeps me from constantly stepping on the hems and tearing them. A lot of thought went into the cut here. Third pro.
If that’s not the case with your jeans, here’s a super-easy hack:
Over the past nine months, the fabric has become softer and more comfortable with every wear and wash, without losing any of its fit. Fourth pro.
The final – and, believe it or not, fifth – pro of the Fenanda belt ankle barrel jeans is that they come with their own accessory, a detachable belt made from the same washed black denim as the jeans themselves. To be honest, it serves more of a decorative purpose than a functional one – but I don’t think you can go wrong with a little extra detail.
In a nutshell
A really decent pair of jeans for a good price
The only thing is, my pair’s now missing a rivet. Oh well. Nobody’s perfect, and I can list five pros to make up for this one shortcoming. The Fenanda belt ankle barrel jeans from Only were sent to me as a test product and have now earned a permanent spot among my favourite pieces. A pair of jeans doesn’t have to do much besides look good, fit well, hold their shape and stand out from an endless array of competing styles – but that’s exactly what Fenanda has done for me.
Pro
- Made from 75 per cent organic and 25 per cent recycled cotton
- Good price
- Cool barrel silhouette with an ankle-length cut
- Comfortable, hard-wearing, easy to style
Contra
- (Showroom model) soon lost a rivet
Laura Scholz
Senior Editor
Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.chAlways in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.
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