The £45 M&S jeans with a 12,000-strong wait list – and the alternatives that are just as good

Sometimes there is a product that so accurately hits the mark on what the nation’s women feel like wearing at a particular moment, it becomes a sensation: Zara’s spotted dress; John Lewis’s flat Mary-Janes; Sezane’s Clyde trench…

This is now the case with a pair of wide-legged leopard-print jeans from M&S. A highlight from the new autumn/winter collection, they launched in stores at the beginning of September and sold out the same day in almost every size and length. Now, there are 12,000 people signed up for the restock (which is imminent, the brand promises – sign up here).

It helps that these jeans feature a particularly appealing take on leopard print: not too fussy, with a pale beige base and a slightly faded black. The shape is easy to wear, and they are available up to a size 22 in three different leg lengths. They can be worn in all weather (including the current unpredictable transition into autumn), but most of all, the £45 price tag makes them an accessible investment.

Animal Print Wide Leg Jeans, £45, M&S

The success of the jeans also reflects the soft spot that so many of us have for leopard print, including Erica Davies, a fashion editor and the author of Leopard is a Neutral. “Despite it being currently ‘cool,’ leopard is a print that has actually transcended fashion,” she says. “It is timeless – and it says something about you without you needing to say a word.”

She is also onboard for the leopard jeans trend: “I recently created an edit for George at Asda… the whole collection is dominated by the print. The most popular piece has been a leopard-print pair of wide-leg trousers in a denim fabric, which are being restocked soon.”

We have the Danish brand Ganni to thank for the leopard denim trend in the first place – the print is practically in its DNA, and features in every collection. Its leopard Betzy jeans, £235, are a hero item for the brand, with a cropped kick flare that is perfect for showing off a statement shoe.

But leopard print is generally having a bit of a moment – there’s a lot more of it around on everything this season, and denim is a really wearable way into the trend. No wonder that Aligne has just launched an entire leopard denim capsule collection, consisting of two dresses, a jacket and a pair of straight-leg jeans.

Miso leopard jeans, £99, Aligne; Leopard Betzy jeans, £235, Ganni

“[Leopard] works so well on denim, as it takes on a softer feel with the weave of denim,” says Ginny Seymour, the chief executive of Aligne. “You can style it with knitwear for a casual look, but it will also carry you into the party season and is great for occasionwear.”

Leopard is central to Balzac Paris’s offering too – its tapered Austin jeans (£125, balzac-paris.com) come in two different leopard colourways. Wyse is another brand that has seen leopard denim fly – the leopard iteration of its relaxed straight-leg Josie jean is sold out and won’t be restocked, but a leopard version of its Allie cropped flare jean (£180, wyselondon.com) will be available from September 26.

Leopard Austin jeans, £125, Balzac Paris

If you don’t want to wait for an M&S restock, there are plenty more options on the high street, in a whole range of cuts, too: straight leg at Mango and Mint Velvet, and a slightly wider leg at Baum und Pferdgarten.

Leopard slim jeans, £89, Mint Velvet; Leopard straight jeans, £49.99, Mango

On the styling front, you won’t have much trouble pairing these jeans with other staples in your wardrobe. The print has black in it, so you can team them with black shoes, tops and bags, but it also looks fabulous with other neutrals, such as beige, white, grey and brown – in fact, something quite sober and preppy, such as a white shirt and a grey knit, is a great foil for leopard’s lively image. Alternatively, double down on the joy factor and wear your jeans with a red knit.

Whether you’re a seasoned leopard addict, or dipping a tentative toe into animal print waters, these jeans are a useful buy and will serve you well – now, and long into the future. As Davies says, “[Leopard jeans are a way to show that you have your finger on the pulse. But pull them out in a few years and they will still feel relevant and cool.”