The cutaneous lymphocyte‐associated antigen (CLA) represents the homing receptor involved in selective migration of memory/effector T cells to the skin. Numerous reports demonstrated distinct CLA expression on Th1 cells. However, T cells isolated from skin lesions and CLA⁺ T cells circulating in peripheral blood of atopic dermatitis patients expressed high IL‐5 and IL‐13. Accordingly, we investigated the regulation of CLA on human type 1 and type 2 T cells. CLA was induced on freshly generated Th1 and Tc1 cells only, but not on those of type 2. Anti‐CD3 stimulation was sufficient to induce CLA on Th2 cells in the absence of serum in the culture medium. In serum containing medium, IL‐4 inhibited CLA and related α‐fucosyltransferase mRNA expression. IL‐12 and/or staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) stimulation up‐regulated CLA expression on either Th2 and Tc2 cells. On stimulation with IL‐12, CLA was expressed on the surface of bee venom phospholipase A₂‐specific Th1, Th2, Th0 and T regulatory 1 clones, representing non‐skin‐related antigen‐specific T cells. In addition, CLA could be re‐induced on T cells that had lost CLA expression upon resting. These results suggest that skin‐selective homing is not restricted to functional and phenotypic T cell subsets.